


The Flags Fly At Half-Mast

by Omoni



Series: Abovetale [27]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Celebrating the dead, Comfort Sex, F/F, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Sorry, I'm not kidding about beloved characters dying, Lewff, Life and loss, Living with Loss, Mourning, Moving On, Multi, Old Age, Remembering the Dead, Seriously this is depressing, The Family You Make, comfort is a hugpile, dealing with death, happyish ending, major character deaths, no really I'm sorry, okay I'll see myself out, please have tissues, two funerals and a wedding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-03 18:24:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 37
Words: 48,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12753720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omoni/pseuds/Omoni
Summary: The moment was always anticipated as the years went by. But always, always, when it happens, it makes the tears fly.Warning: Major character deaths (two).





	1. Chapter 1

The morning that Asgore fell down, he awoke shortly before dawn, his body's aches and pains dragging him up from a rather difficult sleep abruptly. He felt all of his body's pain at once, feeling it like an assault in the dark, and he winced, trying to swallow a groan of pain. With shaking hands, he reached out, finding the gesture oddly difficult, and touched Toriel's shoulders, shaking her gently awake.

"Toriel," he whispered, as she drifted out of sleep slowly, looking confused - until she heard him say her full name. Her eyes opened right away, keen and sharp, and they met his - and flared. She stared at him, reaching forward and grabbing onto his forearms, and he nodded, closing his eyes briefly.

"No," she snapped, her nails digging into his arms. Her voice shook. "No, Asgore. _No."_

Asgore opened his eyes and smiled weakly, their colour already slightly faded. "My love," he murmured, reaching up and touching her cheek gently. "It's... it's my time, I think."

"Gorey," Toriel said, her voice breaking and her eyes filling with tears, shaking her head. "No. No, Gorey, _no_. Please, Gorey... _please?"_

Asgore moved closer, cupping her face between his hands and brushing her tears away with his thumbs. "I'm sorry," he whispered, meaning it. He was full of regret, realising that he would fall not long after the sun was up. There was a great deal more that he wished he could do, like see his family one more time, or simply walk in the fresh air and take in the world that his daughter created one last time...

But he knew it in his blood, his very soul, like all monsters did, that his time was limited, and he would be lucky if he was able to say all he wanted to say to Toriel.

"Asgore Dreemurr, you _promised_ me," she snapped, her heart feeling as though it was breaking. "You promised me, even if it was just for a _minute,_ that you would _outlive me!"_

Asgore did indeed promise that. It was several weeks after they'd buried Chara, and both he and Toriel were lying awake in bed, unable to sleep. She'd broken the silence to make him swear by that, and he had, fully intending to follow through, as he knew he'd never be able to live without her for much longer than that, anyway. He strove to keep it, even when they divorced, and renewed it again when they remarried.

But even though he tried, he knew this was out of his control. "I'm sorry," he repeated. "I hate that the most important promise I made to you... is the one I have to break."

 _"Gorey,"_ Toriel suddenly sobbed, grabbing hold of him and pulling him to her hard. She could already feel it - he was already so light in her arms, not at all the familiar weight and warmth she knew so well. "No?" she tried again. "Please, no? Please?" She kept repeating it as though repetition was key, was a spell to keep him here with her.

His eyes met hers, and they shone with tears of their own. "I wish I could stay," he admitted, his voice breaking. "I wish I could see so much more... but I'm lucky enough to have seen... so much, already." He smiled faintly. "All because of Frisk."

Toriel closed her eyes for a moment, swallowing another sob. Deep down, she knew he was right. They'd lived so long already, and when they'd started ageing again - a miracle in itself - they'd both had to face the reality that they would indeed die.

Given the trade-off, they both knew: they would pick death over losing Asriel - and in turn, Frisk and Nicky - without hesitating.

Toriel kissed his forehead, then his nose, then both of his cheeks, before kissing his lips gently, sniffling between breaths. He returned it as best as he could, knowing it was weak, but Toriel was grateful even for that. She pulled away and pressed her forehead to his, and for a moment, they both kept their eyes closed, listening to the other breathe.

Then, Asgore whispered, "Tori, it's... not long, now."

Toriel's eyes opened and saw it to be true; he was pale, and his eyes were faded - and lightly ringed with grey. She bit back another sob, cupped his face in her hands, and said, "Asgore, I love you. I've loved you through it all. I will never stop loving you. _Do you hear me, whelp?"_

Asgore smiled faintly, blinking slowly. "Yes, Tori, my love. I love you. I always will. No matter where I go. Make sure... make sure..." He hesitated, his eyes closing, and not opening again. "Make sure Frisk and Asriel know... how proud of them I am... how much I love them... and Undyne... Alphys... all of them... please..."

"Yes, Gorey, I will," Toriel promised, her voice wavering.

"Tori," he whispered. "Hold me? Please?"

Toriel pulled him as close as possible, holding him in her arms and against her chest. He buried his face deep into her shoulder, his hands touching her shoulders lightly, and she held him tight, kissing him over and over, reminding him how much she loved him...

"Tori," he whispered, his voice so small that, had she worse hearing, she'd of never heard it. "I love you... forever..."

"I love you, Gorey, for even longer," she promised, her voice breaking at last. She could already hear his breaths slowing, his heart slowing, and she held onto him, wishing for some kind of rescue, for some kind of answer, for this to be a horrible nightmare...

But then, after a moment of silence, Asgore exhaled slowly and relaxed against her. Her eyes flared open, and she looked down quickly--

\--and before her eyes, like a wave along gentle waters, Asgore fell to dust in her arms.

For a moment, his soul, so bright white and strong looking, hovered above it. She reached out with numb hands, cupping them over it lightly, feeling just a bit of his warmth--

\--and then it shattered in her hands, its shards falling to meet his dust below.

Toriel stared at her empty hands, unable to look at the dust beside her. They trembled, as did her whole body. Tears fell from her eyes, tears she didn't even feel, and her breaths were harsh in her throat.

Then, she keened out, small at first, still disbelieving. It had happened so fast, without warning, that she still hoped she was dreaming, that this wasn't real.

But then she felt the pain in her soul, the break in her heart, and she knew it to be real - all too real.

She keened out again, louder, before she collapsed beside her husband's dust and screamed, the sound tearing her throat and breaking her heart open, but one she couldn't stop.


	2. Chapter 2

"Frisk?"

"Mm?"

"Have you heard from Mom or Dad yet today?"

Frisk paused, looking at Asriel with surprise. It was a Saturday morning, and they were getting ready to go to City Hall, when he'd asked this, and she realised that she hadn't - at all. It was unusual. Even on the days that Asriel worked with her instead of Asgore, Toriel would always text at least one of them and wish them a good day. And Saturdays were especially the case.

Frowning, Frisk grabbed her phone and checked it, finding messages from yesterday, but none today. Asriel's phone was the same.

"That's weird," she admitted. "Mami hasn't texted me yet. Or you."

Asriel looked worried. "Do you think something's wrong?" he wondered.

Frisk bit her lip. She did, actually; she felt a strange, sinking feeling deep in her gut, and with that thought, she checked her messages from Nicky.

One struck her in particular: the last one she'd sent, at some point in the middle of the night.

_"I feel strange, Mami. Something's not right. I dreamt of dust, and of Ehmma looking broken. I really hope it was just a nightmare."_

"Oh, no," Frisk whispered, covering her mouth. Asriel went to her side at once and looked over her shoulder, feeling a similar hit to the gut at the sight of those words.

"Call," Asriel rasped out, shaking. "Frisk, call."

Frisk was already dialling.

* * *

Toriel hadn't moved an inch when she heard her phone ringing on her nightstand. She was still sobbing, her face hidden in her pillow, one hand buried in the dust beside her, while the other was clutched over her heart. She just barely heard it, and would have ignored it, too - had it stopped ringing. But it kept going, and she realised she needed to answer it. She didn't know why, or even if it mattered, but she knew she had to.

She turned slowly, keeping her hand where it was, while the other pulled from her chest and took hold of her phone. She stared at her own hand, feeling as if it belonged to someone else, and when she glanced at the phone's screen and saw it was her daughter, she keened out again, suddenly agonised at the realisation of what she had to do - and say - once she answered this call.

But she did. She shakily answered it, bringing it under her ear, and whispered, "My girl?"

There was a pause, before Frisk said, her voice tiny, "Mami? What's wrong?"

"My baby girl," she answered, her voice breaking and choked with more tears. She couldn't speak after that, her voice consumed by those sobs, but she heard her daughter murmur that she was right there, and to take her time.

"Do you need me, Mami?" Frisk then asked her. "Do you need me there? Is Papi with you? Are you safe?"

"No," Toriel blurted out, though which question she was answering, she had no idea. "Frisk... Frisk..." She tried to say more, but her voice broke again, and she couldn't say words - just broken, agonised sounds.

"I'll be right there," Frisk suddenly said, her voice stronger. "Asriel and I will be right there, Mami. Hold on, okay? Help's coming."

Toriel tried to answer, tried to explain that it was too late for that, but she got nothing out.

"I love you," Frisk added. "We'll be there before you know it."

Toriel nodded, though of course Frisk couldn't see it, before she hung up, turned back around, and resumed her broken tears.

* * *

Frisk and Asriel let themselves in, and the first thing they noticed when they walked into New New Home was how... quiet it was. How strangely quiet it was, and felt.

Asriel grabbed Frisk's hand tight, and she could feel that he was trembling. She was, too. Deep down, she already knew, but hoped she was just fearing the worst. In a way, Asriel did, too - but he was too terrified to accept it, yet. He didn't want to.

"Mami?" Frisk called, kicking her shoes off and setting her bag on the doorside counter. She listened and heard nothing, but Asriel's ears twitched and he looked down the hall, his eyes going wide with that same fear. "Honey?" she asked him gently, looking up at him.

"Their bedroom," he murmured.

Frisk paused, then looked at him closely. "Asriel, stay here, okay?" she advised him gently.

"No," he answered, the firmness in his voice surprising her. Though his posture was low, and his eyes were wide with fear, his mouth was set. "I'm coming with you."

"Okay," she agreed. She kept hold of his hand, though - something they both needed.

They walked down the hall, and as they got closer, Frisk could finally hear what Asriel could: soft, agonised weeping. Her heart ached and her grip tightened on Asriel's hand, and for a moment, she was afraid, too.

Frisk let go of his hand to open the door, and when her eyes fell on everything, she staggered, the shock hitting her like a fist. Toriel was curled up, her back to the door, weeping like she'd never seen her weep before. Beside her was not Asgore, but...

Frisk's vision started to darken around the edges, her breaths catching each time she tried to breathe. She felt Asriel grab her quickly, just as she felt herself feel faint. She leaned against him, letting her mind go blank - the reality, in that moment, was too much.

"Frisk," Asriel murmured, shaking her a little, too distracted by her to see anything yet. Frisk stirred, then turned to him and clung to him, trembling, her eyes still shut and her body still flooded with that horrible, near-drowning feeling of one about to pass out.

"Oh, god," Asriel then whispered, his eyes finally falling on his mother. He started shaking, and he held Frisk to him tighter, his next breath a sob.

For a moment, neither moved, until Frisk was able to shake free of that shock.

 _Mami needs me,_ she thought, shoving her pain aside. _She needs me. Stay awake. She needs me._

She just managed it, and slowly, she pulled away from Asriel to go to Toriel. Asriel, the moment he was let go, dropped to his knees on the floor and covered his face, bursting into tears.

Toriel must have heard them at last, as she was stirring, moving a little to try and face them. Frisk went to her side and knelt beside the bed, keeping her eyes on her, alone.

"Mami," she whispered, placing her hand upon her mother's back.

Toriel slowly turned to face her, her expression shattered, and when their eyes met, Toriel lunged for her and grabbed her into an embrace so hard that Frisk almost passed out again. But she grabbed hold of her mother and hugged her tight, and their next breath was a shared cry of anguish, breaking over them both. Frisk couldn't hold them back, not like this, and Toriel didn't care. She was holding onto Frisk as though her life depended on it, when usually, it had always been reversed.

"My girl," Toriel sobbed, her words barely coherent. "My Gorey... he's gone... he's _gone_...!"

Asriel lowered down to the floor when he heard that, his sobs escalating. He'd loved his father, so much, and had spent his life trying to make up for the past pains he'd caused him, regardless of whether Asgore knew of them or not. Asgore had forgiven him without question, and had always told him that all he had to do to make up for anything was to live.

But Asriel suddenly wished that he hadn't lived, if it meant his father was still alive, still immortal. It broke his heart, realising that his mere existence had brought this to them.

He was wrong, in many ways. He didn't understand that, to Asgore, Asriel's living meant more than his own, and that he would gladly of died sooner, if it meant his own son would live. Asgore had died happy, knowing that Asriel - and in turn, Frisk and Nickname - were alive and thriving.

"Mami," Frisk murmured, burying her face into her mother's shoulder. Toriel only hugged her with one hand; the other was held to her chest, covered in dust, still. "Mami, I'm here. I'm right here."

"Frisk," Toriel answered. "Frisk, he's gone... my Gorey is gone..."

"I know," Frisk sobbed out, her eyes squeezing shut.

Frisk's nightmare was this, had always been this: the moment she'd once more have to bury a parent. She'd always dreaded it, and yet knew it was inevitable once Asriel had been revived. She'd tried to forget it, even as she watched her parents age and get frailer and weaker, but their vitality and happiness had always made her feel like maybe they would outlive her, anyway. She'd hoped, stupidly, that they would.

But now, her father was dead. Reality had struck her hard, right across the face, and she could no longer ignore it.

"My boy?" Toriel suddenly whispered.

Asriel looked up at that, his vision obscured by tears, but he crawled over to Frisk's side, leaned against her, and put an arm around her and Toriel, burying his face into the bed and crying once more. Toriel's hand went to his back, her nails digging in, and she murmured his name softly before she broke down again - something her children soon followed.

* * *

When Frisk's phone chimed, it was an hour later at least. Toriel was curled up on her side, Asriel still in her arms - though he still knelt beside the bed - and Frisk was now in the kitchen, looking for something to gather her father's dust in - always practical, even when her heart was breaking - when she heard her phone. She looked up, reached up and brushed her tears away, then stood up and walked to her bag, pulling her phone out with shaking fingers.

It was a text from Nicky:

_"I'm coming over to New New Home."_

That was it - until Frisk checked back, and saw that Nicky had been sending messages for the entire hour:

_"What do you think it means? Mami, do you think I should call Ehmma?"_

_"Mami, I texted both Ehmma and Ehmpa, and neither answered me. Why haven't you answered me?"_

_"Papi isn't answering either. I'm getting scared. Please tell me I'm wrong. Please?"_

Then, she concluded with her last message.

Frisk used her sleeve to wipe her eyes again, still crying - she hadn't been able to stop, really - before she typed a response.

_"Yes. Come. We need you, Nicky. Please. Prepare yourself. I love you."_

There was a pause, before Nicky replied: _"I'll be there in fifteen minutes. I love you, too, Mami."_

Frisk bit her lip, then tucked her phone into her pocket, before returning to the kitchen and resuming her search.


	3. Chapter 3

Nickname walked in slowly, her eyes already burning. She knew. She knew exactly what had happened, and what her dream meant. 

And it _hurt_.

She'd loved Asgore deeply. He'd been her champion, her pillar. He'd always been kind, always defended her, and always took her seriously. 

When she'd told him about being asexual, he'd simply nodded, patted her hand, and said, "That's fine, dear. Would you like more tea?"

She'd loved him so much.

To know he was gone - gone in seconds, gone before she could tell him how much she'd loved him, how much she'd admired him, how much... how much...

It hurt so much.

She walked slowly in, taking her shoes off and padding slowly down the hallway. As she passed the kitchen, she heard clanks and clangs coming from the kitchen and peered in to look.

Her mother was surrounded by dishes, her face red and streaked with tears, those tears silent but constant, her face crumpled with her grief. Her hands shook each time she picked up a dish, and when she set it down, it was with frustration and more pain, more tears.

"Mami?" Nicky called softly, staying in the doorway of the kitchen.

Frisk jumped, looking up at her for a moment with panic, before she looked away and scrubbed at her face with her sleeve. "Nicky," she murmured, her voice tiny. "Hi. Sorry, I'm just..."

Nicky walked in and knelt beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder. As an adult now, Nicky was far taller than her mother, but at this moment, it was she who felt small beside Frisk's grief.

"Mami," she murmured, "Ehmpa's... gone, isn't he?"

Frisk lowered her head further, her shoulders shaking and her hair hiding her face. Silently, she nodded, her hands clenching into tight fists upon the floor.

Nicky felt her tears flow freely, now, and she sat down, opened her arms, and hugged her mother hard. Frisk froze for a moment, stiffening in her embrace, until she suddenly sobbed - just once, true - but it was enough, and she turned and grabbed hold of her daughter, crying as freely as she.

For a moment, they remained on the kitchen floor, hugging onto each other and weeping, surrounded by dishes that were useless and pointless. Both wanted comfort, and both wanted _to_ comfort, and it took a long time for them to stop crying.

It was Frisk who pulled away first, going back to the dishes around them. "I-I still need to..." she stammered, her eyes still blurry with tears. "F-for Papi's..."

Nicky took hold of her hands gently and stopped her. "Mami," she said gently, "I'll do it. Okay? Just sit, and you can tell me if the one I pick is good enough, okay?"

Frisk nodded, lowering her head, and Nicky looked around, noticing that pretty much every single dish had been pulled out from the cabinets. She felt her heart ache, her ears twitching a little - she could hear Asriel and Toriel speaking softly - and she picked amongst the dishes slowly, still crying and knowing she couldn't stop, so she didn't try.

Finally, she found a dish she knew was right: one of Toriel's pie dishes. She smiled faintly, picked it up, and held it out to her mother. Frisk looked up and bit her lip, nodding, and together, they went back to the bedroom.

Nicky had thought she was prepared, but she wasn't. The moment she saw her father and grandmother weeping, holding each other tight, she felt her heart crack, and she went over and knelt beside her father, setting the dish aside and hugging onto him tight.

Asriel grabbed her with one arm and pulled her close. "Nicky," he whispered, "sweetie. Thank you. Thank you..."

Toriel touched her cheek and nodded, and she leaned close.

Frisk, desperate to keep distracted, picked up the dish and went to the other side of the bed - and froze, her eyes widening.

She hadn't realised how hard it would hit her until she actually saw her father's dust. She knelt down, shaking, and with one hand, she took hold of it and carefully poured it into the dish. She kept going, a handful at a time, despite the fact that with each one, she cried harder.

Soon, Toriel turned to her and sat up, surprising the rest of her family. She leaned down, looked at her daughter, and then started to help her, adding handfuls of her own alongside her daughter's. Frisk looked up at her gratefully, and soon, both Nicky and Asriel sat down, flanking Toriel, to help, as well.

It was done in silence, broken only by the sounds of grief and tears, but they managed it. A thin coating of dust still remained on the bed, but Toriel whispered, "Leave it. For now," and they obeyed.

When the dish was full, Frisk held it out to Toriel, who took it and hugged it to her, lowering her head. Both Asriel and Nicky hugged her, and Frisk touched her shoulder.

"Thank you," Toriel murmured then. "Thank you, my children."

"Mommy," Asriel whispered. "I'm so sorry... Dad... Dad was..."

Toriel kissed him gently, and he gritted his teeth and hid his face in her shoulder. "It's alright, my boy," she whispered in return. "I... I'm so glad you're... here..."

She broke down, then, and Frisk moved closer and hugged her, too. They held each other, sharing that grief and loss, and for that moment, they could do nothing else.


	4. Chapter 4

Nicky made tea while Asriel and Frisk talked with Toriel. She wanted to give them privacy, but also...

Making tea for Nickname was always cathartic. Always. Though she often made coffee during weekdays, at night and weekends, she always made tea.

Asgore had taught her that. He'd taught her from a very young age how making tea could be; how soothing it was to go through the ritual of measuring the leaves, boiling the water, and setting it to steep. The smells, the feel of the hot water, the steam and the sounds of the water pouring and the leaves soaking...

But now, she made it with tears.

All she could think of was Asgore. He'd been a major part of her somewhat wayward life, and she'd loved him so much for that. In a way, she did feel comfort in making the tea, but she also felt that deep loss, very deeply.

She made the tea exactly like everyone liked it - then paused. She sighed, rubbing her forehead, then slammed the sugar canister down and stormed to the front doorway, throwing the door open with a sour expression.

"Try ringing the doorbell, Uncle," she snapped.

sans sighed, looking up at her with dim eyes. "i know, but why bother, with the psychic in the house?"

Nicky scowled at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

He sighed again. "c'mon, nick."

She softened, lowering her arms, then leaned down and hugged him tight. He didn't move for a moment, then reached up and hugged her back - even tighter. She was surprised; he was shaking.

"i'm so fucking sorry, nick," he croaked out.

Nicky thawed out completely at that, and she lowered her head into his shoulder and cried, nodding. "I am, too," she whispered.

After a moment, she pulled away. "Come in. I can make you tea, too, if you want?"

As she led him in, he shook his head, closing the door behind him. "nah, i'm good. thanks, though." He hesitated. "how... how's tori?"

Nicky's face fell, putting the mugs, milk, and sugar on a tray and picking it up. "Not good," she murmured. "But it might help to see you."

It was true, of course. Toriel and sans were still best friends, made closer once the Watchers were disbanded and pure honesty was finally reached between them. Nothing was hidden between them after that, and they'd been so close, sans had sometimes spent time at New New Home with her and Asgore, living with them for days at a time (at least, until Papyrus complained and demanded him back).

As a result, sans and Asgore had become closer, too. Nicky never asked, but she always assumed that, as a result, something more existed between them, too. She would still never ask, but seeing him here, now, she suddenly felt as if what she felt was confirmed.

sans followed Nicky to the bedroom, and the moment Toriel saw sans, she sat up and cried out, reaching out to him - in turn surprising her son and daughter immediately. sans went over, and they hugged - hard, Toriel kissing sans several times on the top of his head as she cried.

"How did you know?" she asked him.

"how do i always know?" he replied, and she laughed softly, a sound that surprised them all - even herself.

His eyes fell on the now-empty, still slightly dusty side of the bed, and he felt a stab to his soul, one that made him shut his eyes and hold Toriel closer - more for his own comfort than hers. He'd grown to love the old king, and was very, very sorry he was gone.

She looked up and saw Nicky with the tray of tea, and she shook her head. "No, no, no," she said softly, pulling away from sans and slowly getting to her feet. She closed her eyes for a moment, a hand to her chest, before she opened them again - and they glinted.

"We'll have tea in the kitchen," she said, her voice stronger and clearer, now. "Let's go, turn around, Nickname, thank you, but it's alright."

Both Frisk and Asriel started to protest, but Toriel walked by them, taking the tray from a bemused Nicky and vanishing out of the room.

"What the hell just happened?" Asriel demanded.

"tori remembered who she was," sans offered.

* * *

Surprisingly, tea was spent talking about Asgore.

"Goodness," Toriel murmured, glancing into her mug. "This is strange. I'm so used to Gorey being right at my side, demanding more sugar."

Frisk and Asriel blinked in surprise, but Nicky smiled, and sans laughed.

"for a big guy, he had a sweet tooth bigger than me," he added, smiling.

Toriel blinked at him, then smiled faintly. "Yes, this is true. Did you know, the first year we got back together, he'd always ask for pie for supper? Always butterscotch?" She smiled a bit more, shaking her head. "And every time, he acted like I'd just given him the answer to eternal life."

"Well," Frisk spoke up, her voice soft. "You did. In many ways, Mami, he lived for you."

Toriel looked at her, bit her lip, and nodded, though she smiled, still. "Yes. He never gave up on me, did he?"

"nope," sans agreed. "annoyingly so."

Frisk nodded, smiling faintly. "Even at the start, he always talked about getting back together with you, so that we could be a family."

Asriel bit his lip. "Then I fucked it up."

"Hey," Nicky broke in, touching his hand gently. "You were confused, and you were acting as such."

Asriel smiled. "He forgave me, you know? I told him everything, everything I ever did to him, and he forgave me immediately - with a hug and a kiss, too."

"He loved you, my boy," Toriel replied kindly. "When you came back, he wept for hours, he was so happy."

Asriel's eyes filled with tears at that, and he lowered his head.

"Oh god," Frisk suddenly whispered. _"Undyne."_

Everyone looked at her in surprise. She looked up, her eyes full of tears. "She doesn't know. And, Papi was like her dad."

Toriel rose to get her phone, but sans stopped her. "i'll call her," he said gently, getting to his feet. "just... expect her here not long after."

"Honestly, that would be... comforting..." Toriel admitted.

sans left to make the call.


	5. Chapter 5

Undyne woke up with a snarl, groping for her phone blindly. It was a weekend, dammit, and why would anyone ever expect her to be awake before noon?!

Alphys woke up and held it out to her calmly, and she grabbed it and snarled into it as her greeting.

Then, she sat up, her whole body flooding with shock. She held the phone to her ear, positive she had misheard.

"What?" she whispered, shaking. Alphys sat up and touched her shoulder, concerned, and Undyne grabbed her and pulled her close, holding her so tight it hurt. "What?"

Alphys stared up at her, her heart suddenly racing with fear. She leaned closer, just as Undyne's face crumpled and she lowered her head.

"You're lying," she choked out, her head going to Alphys's, tears running down her cheeks. "You're _lying!_ Please... please, sans... you're lying... please...?"

Then, her hand dropped from her ear, and she lowered down and burst into tears, tears so raw and painful that she choked and retched.

Alphys gently took the phone from her and said, "sans?"

"alphys?"

"What... what's happened?" she asked fearfully, her other hand going to Undyne's hair and stroking it slowly.

He told her.

She was struck dumb for a moment, shock hitting her harder than any punch ever had. Then, she whispered, "O-okay. Th-thank you f-for t-t-telling... us..." She swallowed hard, her eyes already full. "We-we'll be there, soon."

She hung up, and Undyne grabbed hold of her desperately, sobbing into her shoulder, her nails digging into her back. Alphys held her close, burying her face into Undyne's shoulder, too.

"Dad..." Undyne sobbed out. "This can't... he _can't_... it's... it's not fair! _Alphy, it's not fair!!"_

"I know," Alphys whispered, kissing her forehead. "It's not. I... I'm... oh, god, Undyne... I can't-can't b-believe..." She choked, then broke down, herself, unable to hold it back.

They cried for quite some time. Both had loved Asgore dearly - Undyne, especially - and to realise he was gone, he was actually gone... 

It broke their hearts.

When she could, Alphys whispered, "We should go to them."

Undyne nodded, hiccupping a little. "I-I know," she rasped out, still clinging to Alphys tight. "Oh, god. We... we have to tell... we have to tell..."

"I will," Alphys offered, kissing her again. 

Undyne hesitated, then nodded. She wished she could, but knew, right now, she didn't have the strength for it - not even close.

"Stay here," Alphys added. "I'll go wake Dandy up."

Undyne shook her head, holding fast onto her for a moment, shaking. Alphys kept her close, rubbing her back, slowly, and soon, she let go and nodded. Alphys kissed her again, gently cleaning her face with the sleeve of her pyjamas, and Undyne kissed her back in gratitude.

Alphys found Dandelion reading in her room quietly, still under the covers but wide-awake. "Hi, Mummy!" she cried, grinning at her. She held up her book. "Look!"

Alphys smiled gently and sat down beside her, nodding. Dandelion peered at her, sitting up, and noticed that her mum looked very, very unhappy.

"Dandy," Alphys said, "I need to tell you something. It-it's bad news..."

Dandelion's face fell, but she nodded, closing her book and setting it aside. At five, she was very smart for her age, and knew that something was very serious.

Alphys patted her lap, and without question, Dandelion crawled into it, curling up right against her and hugging onto her.

"Dandy," Alphys murmured, "you-your grandfather... passed away this morning."

Dandelion stared up at her, her eyes filling with tears. She knew exactly what that meant. "Gr-grandpa... he's... gone?" she whispered.

Alphys nodded, her own eyes filling with tears.

"Mummy," Dandelion protested. "He can't be, because... he's always b-been there...! Mummy!"

Alphys pulled her close, and Dandelion clung to her and wailed. Alphys rocked her slowly, trying to comfort her as best as she could, but she knew Dandelion was deeply hurt. She'd loved Asgore, too. Very much. He'd always scoop her up onto his shoulders so that she could be taller than everyone else. He'd never spoken down to her, and always made sure she knew what was going on.

It hurt.

Dandelion was so glad Alphys was holding her, as she was distraught, and for her, Alphys was always the best comfort. And she knew her mummy was hurting, too.

* * *

Undyne decided that she should be the one to tell Basket and Olceal, as it was only fair. She shakily pulled her phone back to her, still prone in bed, and dialled her number.

"Mmmrgh," Basket answered softly.

"Peridot," Undyne began.

She heard Basket pause, then move around a little. "Mom?" she murmured sleepily. "You okay?"

"Honey, I need you to wake up," Undyne said, her voice wavering.

Another pause. Then, Basket said, "Okay, Mommy. Wh-what's going on? Is... is it Mummy?"

"No," Undyne replied gently. "It's... your grandfather."

Basket was silent for a moment, until Undyne heard her suddenly squeak out a small sob. She heard Olceal's voice, asking Basket what was wrong, but Basket didn't say anything.

"Yeah," Undyne confirmed, her voice breaking. "This-this morning..."

 _"Fuck,"_ Basket sobbed out, before she dissolved into tears. Undyne heard her drop the phone, then heard it picked up again.

"Undyne?" Olceal's voice was soft with sleep, but also worry. "What happened?"

"It's... Asgore, Olceal," Undyne murmured, her tears still flowing despite it all. "He... passed away... this morning."

"Oh, god, Undyne," Olceal whispered. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry... What can I do? Please, tell me, I'll do _anything_ \--,"

"Easy," Undyne broke in, smiling faintly despite herself. Olceal loved his wife's family so dearly that it always showed, especially in times of crisis, and Undyne loved him for it. "If you can, do you think you could come here, the two of you? Then, all of us can go to New New Home."

"Yes, of course," Olceal agreed immediately. "Yes. I'll call when we're on our way. Undyne, I'm sorry."

"Me, too," she agreed, her voice breaking again. "See you both later. Please... please take care of Bassy."

"I will. I promise."

They hung up, and Undyne curled up again and succumbed to her tears again, the loss bone-deep.


	6. Chapter 6

When sans came back, the Dreemurrs were smiling - despite their tears.

"Once," Nicky was saying, holding out her hand as she spoke. "I asked Ehmpa, 'Why are you so tall?' And..." Her eyes lit up. "He smiled, picked me up, put me on his shoulders, and said, 'So that you can be even taller.'"

There was soft, tearful laughter in reply. "He did that with me, too," Asriel admitted. "I loved to just... be tall. And he'd never hesitate. Chara, she never asked, but I could always tell when she wanted to, too, and whispered to Dad when she did. And always, always, she'd laugh and laugh..."

Frisk touched his arm, smiling, and Toriel beamed at him, nodding; she remembered that, too.

Toriel's eyes then went to sans, who nodded, his expression strained. Her smile faded, and he looked away, sighing.

"they're coming over, soon," he admitted softly. "i hope you don't mind."

"No," Toriel agreed. "I do not."

* * *

When Undyne and Alphys - and their children - did come by, everyone was on their second cup of tea and were thinking about food.

Toriel looked sick at the thought of eating, but hid it as best as she could, as she knew everyone else needed to eat.

It was one of the earliest signs that she wasn't okay. But they didn't realise it at the time.

The moment Toriel saw Undyne, she stood up and took her into her arms, holding her close. Undyne burst into tears, again, clinging tight and babbling apologies, but Toriel merely shook her head and comforted her, offering her fresh tea when she calmed down.

Nicky went to Basket, touching her wet cheeks and brushing the tears away, something that only made Basket cry more. Nicky then hugged her tight, and she hugged back. On her other side, Nicky felt Dandelion hug onto her, too, and she reached down and touched the top of her head gently.

Alphys stayed back, shaking. Being here, suddenly, had brought it all down on her at once. Before, she'd been able to be strong for Undyne and their children, but now, here, in the face of it all...

She remembered, with such amazing clarity, that one moment so long ago, and she closed her eyes.

The rush of water beneath her feet, the hot tears streaking her cheeks...

The feeling of helplessness, of worthlessness, of being nothing and no-one to the entire world...

Closing her eyes, taking a breath, moving closer to the edge...

Then, jumping off of it...

...only to be grabbed, seconds from death, and rescued by a complete stranger, one she suddenly clung to with terror, waking up from that daze and realising what she was doing....

_"I've got you, hold on!"_

_"Help me, please, don't let me do this!"_ she'd begged, screaming it over the rushing water, suddenly desperate to live.

_"I won't! I have you, hold on! Don't let go!"_

And she hadn't, and been pulled from death, into an entirely new life.

By Asgore.

Asgore, who'd saved her from suicide, was now dead, himself.

Alphys covered her face and dropped to the floor, still in the doorway of the house. She curled forward, shaking even worse, now, and keened out, not even aware that she'd made a sound.

Undyne heard it and jerked away from Toriel, her own grief forgotten as she rushed to Alphys's side. Alphys was clutching at the front of her chest, now, her claws digging in and her breaths choked sobs. She couldn't move, couldn't even open her eyes.

The first person to ever see worth in her, who'd seen her at all, was dead. Inside, she felt a part of her suddenly die, too. And it was not a painless death.

Undyne knelt down and pulled her up to her, now in tears, herself, and held her close. Alphys clung to her, trying to apologise for being weak, for not being strong enough to support Undyne, for everything... But all that came out was a pathetic wail. Undyne kissed her and rocked her, just like Alphys had done for her, and Alphys sobbed harder, so comforted and grateful that she couldn't help it.

Basket, Olceal, and Dandelion hung back, shocked. The Dreemurrs, too, were silent. While everyone had known that Alphys had been rescued by Asgore - who had then hired her and, essentially, saved her entire life - they hadn't realised just how much she'd loved him, too. Undyne, they knew. But Alphys was a shock.

It especially shook Toriel, who, until then, had been able to play hostess in order to keep herself calm. Seeing Alphys's sudden, unexpected grief reminded her of her own, and she quickly turned away and rushed down the hallway, going to the bathroom and shutting the door behind her.

Neither Alphys nor Undyne heard, but everyone else had, and shared a wince. It wasn't Alphys's fault; it was just unlucky, painful circumstance.

Frisk bit her lip, her eyes going to Asriel's. He nodded, and she stood up and went to follow her mother, touching Nicky briefly on the top of her head - as she'd been about to do the same. Instead, Nicky sat down beside Asriel and hid her face in his shoulder. He held her close and buried his face into her hair, closing his eyes.

"Shh," Undyne was whispering, her voice hoarse. "I'm here. I have you. You're safe."

Alphys nodded and clung tighter.

Nicky then waved Basket, Dandelion, and Olceal over to the table. All three went over gingerly, looking nervous and confused, and Nicky got up and distracted herself with making them tea.

* * *

"Mami."

Toriel looked up and saw her daughter let herself into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, crying into her hands, when Frisk came in, her eyes dark with pain and worry.

"I'm sorry," she added, walking over and sitting beside her.

"I'd forgotten," Toriel answered, her hands now in her lap and her eyes fixed ahead, wide with tears. "I'd forgotten how much Gorey means..." She winced. "Meant to Alphys."

"He saved her life," Frisk agreed. "She'd loved him, once, too." Toriel nodded. "And that love grew into something more. She loved him like a father."

Toriel bit her lip, nodding again. Her hands clenched her knees hard, and she trembled. "I'd forgotten," she repeated. "I'd let myself forget how many people Gorey touched, because..." Her face fell. "Because he was my world... He was my whole world..."

"Mami..." Frisk murmured, leaning over and hugging her. Toriel leaned into her and wept a little, giving in to the tears she'd smothered all morning.

"How can he be gone, my girl?" she whispered. "How could he have just left me?"

"Mami, he never left you," Frisk answered gently. "He'll always be in our souls. Always."

"No," Toriel answered, surprising Frisk. "It's not the same. It's not the same!" Her voice cracked. "He promised he wouldn't leave me... How can I...?"

She didn't finish, and therefore Frisk missed the second sign that Toriel was not going to be okay.


	7. Chapter 7

"I-I-I... n-never... I... I..."

"Shh..." Undyne whispered, kissing Alphys again. They were still hunched in the doorway, unable to move, yet, and the others gave them privacy. "Take it slow. A word at a time."

Alphys took a few deep breaths, her eyes closed. "I... n-never... g-got to repay-repay him..." she stammered, her voice high with grief.

"What do you mean, sweetie?" Undyne asked. She was crying silently, but she was able to hold back the worst of it for this. She would always be strong when Alphys needed her to be, even when she felt weak, herself.

"He... Undyne... He s-saved m-my life... He g-gave me... reason to live..." Alphys choked back a sob. "I never got to repay him!" she cried.

Undyne shut her eye and gathered her closer, shaking her head. "You did."

"No!"

"Yes," Undyne insisted. "By living, Alphy. By living your life, by staying alive, by thriving... You repaid him way more than once." She paused. "Alphy, you helped bring him back his dead son!"

"Th-that killed him!" Alphys answered, her voice wavering.

"Trust me," Undyne replied. "I know he felt it was worth it."

This was true; she did know this. He'd told her, a few days after Asriel was revived. He'd noticed that Alphys was acting skittish and wary, especially around him, and he went to Undyne to find out why.

"Oh," Undyne had sighed. "She's kinda freaked out that everything worked. She's paranoid it'll reverse itself, somehow. Plus..." She'd winced. "She feels guilty."

"Guilty?" he'd echoed. "Whatever for? She brought my son back!"

"Yeah," Undyne had agreed, her voice soft. "Which means you're gonna die one day."

And he'd laughed, hard, surprising her. "Do you think I care, Undyne?" he'd wondered between laughs. "If it means my son, my Asriel, is back in my life? I would have died to have him back if I could have, Undyne. If I die after I get to watch him grow up, then it's a life well-spent - and worth every minute aged."

He'd paused then, his eyes getting a little misty. "Plus, we think... Tori and I think, with Frisk..."

He'd trailed off, and when Undyne asked him, he'd shaken his head and changed the subject, asking instead when Alphys was free, so that they could talk about it.

She found out later that that was when he'd begun to suspect that his human daughter and monster son were in love. And they'd been right - resulting in a granddaughter, another gift for Asgore.

"Yeah," Undyne concluded, now, smiling faintly. "It was worth it."

Alphys sniffled. "You... are you sure?"

Undyne nodded, and Alphys closed her eyes, burrowing closer into her shoulder. Undyne rested her head atop her wife's and closed her own eye.

* * *

"ah, hell."

Everyone looked up and blinked at sans, who was staring at his phone.

"What's wrong, bastard?" Asriel wondered.

"my bro." sans winced. "i... may have left without telling him."

Asriel and Nickname shared the identical look of abject horror on their faces. Olceal deliberately stared into his mug, while Basket glowered at her uncle. Dandelion, in Basket's lap, merely looked confused.

"Uncle," Nicky spluttered out. "You can't just _not_ tell Papyrus! He needs to know!"

sans sighed. "yeah, yeah, but have you ever given him bad news about people he loves?"

Asriel, Nicky, and Basket glared at him. Of course they all had, at some point.

sans noticed and held up a hand, nodding. "yeah, sorry," he amended. "he just gets so... sad. and he admired asgore a lot, especially with how the hedges were trimmed."

Asriel suddenly barked out a laugh and covered his face, and this time sans and Nicky stared at him.

"Oh, god, the hedges," Asriel went on between dry laughs. "I don't know whether to expect Papyrus to be happy or sad about that."

It was true. Asgore had always - always - listened to Papyrus's hedge-demands, while Asriel always refused - or sabotaged the hedges to purposely make him mad.

Then, Asriel's laughter died, and he shut his eyes. "Fuck," he whispered, and Nicky leaned over and put an arm around his shoulders.

"exactly, weed," sans agreed with a sigh. "i'd rather lie than tell him the truth."

"What did you tell him when Gerson passed away?" Nicky wondered.

"that he went back to waterfall to live in the pools."

"You're such an asshole," Asriel growled.

"What a stupid thing to say!" Basket agreed, baring her teeth. "You really _are_ an asshole, Uncle! Papyrus isn't a child, and yet you always treat him like one! That's a dick move, and you've done it for as long as I've known you! I should start calling you Uncle Asshole!"

(Dandelion peered at Basket with interest at this, as she was always quick to chastise bad language, and Basket blushed - but didn't apologise.)

Nicky nodded, making sans look at her in surprise. "Well, you are," she agreed. "Just tell him the truth, Uncle - or I will."

That was a mistake, as sans suddenly lit up. "nick, you'd do that? you'd tell him for me?"

"You are _such an asshole!"_ Asriel snapped, slamming his hands down on the table, before Nicky could even reply. "He's your brother, you stupid bastard! Tell him the truth, stop being a coward, and be an actual _brother_ to him! Don't you think he deserves that?! Especially after all that he's done for _you!!"_

sans stared at him, and he glared back, his eyes blazing - and teary, sans noticed, though clearly Asriel did not.

Nicky nodded, though she rested her cheek on Asriel's shoulder, closing her eyes. "Papi, it's okay... it's okay..."

"Tell him, bastard!" Asriel shouted. "Don't you give a shit about him at all?!"

sans winced, then lowered his gaze to his phone. "of course i do. why else would i hesitate?"

"We have enough to deal with," Asriel answered. "We have to plan the funeral, tell the media, tell immediate friends and family, first, write and make a goddamned statement... Let alone just simply trying to live without him...!" His voice broke, and he trailed off.

"Papi," Nicky interrupted gently, rubbing his back.

Asriel took a breath and closed his eyes, then exhaled it slowly, his hands unclenching.

sans watched him for a moment, then nodded, stood up, and walked down the hall for privacy, the phone already dialling.

At this point, Toriel and Frisk had emerged from the bathroom, Toriel looking worn out and tired, while Frisk looked bemused. Asriel quickly explained while Toriel sat back down, and Frisk rolled her eyes before going down the opposite way to the front door.

Undyne looked up, and shortly after, so did Alphys, sharing a look of deep woe. Frisk knelt down and hugged them both, and with a shared sound, they grabbed her between them and hugged back tight.

"Frisk," Undyne murmured, but it was all she could get out. Alphys dug her claws into the human's back a little, unable to speak. Frisk hugged them tight for a moment, giving them time.

Then, softly, she said, "We were thinking of getting food. What would you like, do you think?"

"Grillby's," they both replied at once, which made all three laugh softly, the simple action a great relief.

sans suddenly came walking back, still on the phone. "papyrus is offering to get us food," he said softly.

Frisk eyed him closely. He looked deeply hurt, his eyes dim and his posture low. But then, Papyrus was still offering to get them food, and was still coming over, so it was probably alright.

She nodded, and together, they all made their way back to the kitchen to place their orders for Papyrus to bring over.

Only Toriel did not order anything. When asked, she simply said she was still rather shaky, and had no appetite - but then promised she'd make soup later on, when she finally felt hungry.

It was a lie.


	8. Chapter 8

When Papyrus arrived, it was Undyne who greeted him, not sans. She insisted, and the moment she opened the door, she grabbed the food, shoved it to the floor, and grabbed him into a hug.

Papyrus stood stiffly for a moment, almost limp in her arms, before he suddenly grabbed back onto her and clung to her. He made no sounds, but Undyne knew. She knew her dearest friend was in pain.

After a moment, Papyrus pulled away and looked up at her, and she kissed his forehead softly.

"THANK YOU," he murmured, and she nodded. Together, they took the food and went to the kitchen.

When sans and Papyrus's gazes met, it was sans who looked away, though Papyrus looked wary from that, alone. He placed the food down and sat down beside sans, then put his arm around him and pulled him over. sans lowered his head and moved closer, and Papyrus relaxed - and even seemed to get a little light back to his eyes, too.

For a moment, as the food was passed out and they started to - slowly - eat, there was a silence, one that was both painful and a relief.

Then, Nicky said, "This feels weird. I keep waiting for Ehmpa to make a pun."

Everyone looked up at her, and Toriel smiled faintly and touched her cheek, nodding for her to go on.

"Well, for example," Nicky continued, "with the tea."

"What about it?" Asriel wondered.

Beside him, sans started laughing silently, shaking his head; he clearly knew, and Nicky smiled at him.

"Yes!" she cried. "He'd ask us, "why are you all in your 'tea-poses'?"

For some reason, this broke a dam - a very large, very thick one, that none of them had realised had gone up. There was soft laughter, a couple of tears, true; but then it graduated into something even better: a pun-off.

It was... honestly incredibly nice. It was like the final crack in the iceberg that had kept them frozen and grief, a crack that finally reminded them that Asgore, above all, preferred laughter to tears.

The moment was spoiled when both Asriel and Frisk's phones went off with text alerts. When they looked, their faces fell, and reality returned to them in one small chime.

"They still need us at City Hall," Frisk murmured. "We never showed up, never explained why."

"Wow. What assholes," Asriel growled, but Frisk touched his arm gently.

"They don't know," Frisk explained softly.

"Fuck, the school," Undyne groaned, covering her eye with one hand, the other a fist on the table. "We need to set up supplies, for the week."

Alphys nodded. "Yes. We need to, right away." She looked at Toriel, who was surprised by the sudden attention; she'd been quiet for the entire pun-off, too. "To-Toriel, wh-when do you w-want...? The-the funeral?"

Toriel stared at her, then sipped on her tea, closing her eyes for a moment. Despite how casually she did it, her hands trembled.

Alphys blushed, noticing and feeling guilty, then said, "I'll handle the school."

Undyne blinked at her in surprise, but everyone else - even sans - was nodding.

Save Toriel. She looked up, caught Alphys's gaze, and stared at her, her eyes wavering. Alphys nodded, and Toriel touched her hand for a moment. She squeezed it; over the years, she had Toriel had become close friends, almost as close to her as Undyne had been with Asgore. It was a relationship that began badly, but flourished once Toriel reached out to Alphys for friendship. Alphys would always be grateful for that - and this, to her, was a small way she could repay that.

"I'll arrange a press conference when I call," Frisk announced.

"No," Asriel protested. "Not alone."

Frisk smiled at him sadly, touching his cheek. "Honey, you'll just cry."

Asriel opened his mouth to protest - then shut it, nodding. Even now, his eyes were watery with unshed tears. Being forced to talk about the reason why in public would break him.

But not Frisk; she'd had almost four decades of experience when it came to masking her emotions. Her days of snarling at the counsel were long gone, replaced instead with arch words and barbed compliments made in a honey-sweet voice and accompanied with a sweeter smile. As such, people had taken her far more seriously over the years, and she got a great deal more done because of it.

"But I want to be at your side," Asriel added, his tone insistent.

"Okay," Frisk agreed, nodding; she wanted the support.

"Ehmma," Nicky said softly, and Toriel glanced at her. "Why don't Mami, Papi, and I stay with you tonight?"

Both parents nodded, and Toriel stared at her granddaughter, a hand to her chest. She nodded silently, suddenly aware of how empty the house would be, now. She was grateful.

"UNDYNE AND I WILL HELP ALPHYS WITH THE SCHOOL," Papyrus offered softly, and Undyne nodded.

Alphys smiled faintly, and seeing that, Toriel made a decision, one that she knew would be a good one.

No matter how bittersweet.

But for now, she just nodded, her cracked heart feeling full.

"eh, what the hell, i'll help, too," sans said, smiling at his brother. "unless you need me here, tori."

Toriel felt a pang in her heart, but it wasn't sans's fault. Rather, it was that name; it hurt to hear it, and that pain surprised her.

"I... I'm not certain, yet," she admitted. "Least of all right now."

"That's perfectly understandable," Alphys told her softly, further solidifying Toriel's decision.

"But yes, my children, please stay," Toriel said to her children and graddaughter, her eyes wavering. "Please?"

"Of course, Mom," Asriel agred, his own eyes full.

Frisk got up then to make a few phone calls, and the others remained seated, still eating a bit. Undyne, Papyrus, and Alphys leaned close together over Alphys's phone, where she was writing notes for the school. Nicky ate quietly, her eyes on her food.

sans, however, was watching Toriel. His eyes narrowed and his smile twitched, but he said nothing.

He should have said something; he realised it far too late.

* * *

Frisk got the conference arranged for Sunday, then made more calls to spread the news.

"Hello?" Athena's voice answered, sounding chipper.

"Hey, it's Frisk."

"Oh!" Athena sounded genuinedly happy. "Hello! What do I owe this wonderful call?"

Frisk smiled. She liked Athena - loved her, even - and was happy she was part of this family, too.

But then her smile faded, and she closed her eyes. "Athena, I need you and Darian to sit together when I say this."

A pause, before Athena covered her phone and called for her husband. In the background, she heard their son Dawnson growling at everyone to shut up on a Saturday, but his parents ignored him.

"Hey," Darian said cheerfully. "How are you?"

"Uh," Frisk stammered. "I'm.... not good." And she told them why.

Silence met her words, before she heard a soft sob from Darian. She then heard the phone being jostled a bit, as well as Athena's voice murmuring soft things Frisk couldn't understand.

Then, Athena said, "I'm so sorry, Frisk."

"Me, too," Frisk admitted, her voice small. "There will be a press conference about it tomorrow. Are you in?"

Another pause. "Yes," Athena agreed gently.

Frisk told her the time, then after a few more sad exchanges, hung up. She paused, leaning against the doorway to her old bedroom, and brushed away her tears.

Then, she sighed and went back to the kitchen. "Asriel," she called, and he looked up, then nodded and got to his feet. "We gotta go to City Hall, now," she explained sadly, her eyes dark. "But the moment we can, Mami, we'll be back home."

Toriel smiled faintly. "Please."

"I promise," Frisk replied, meaning it. Asriel went to her side and hugged her for a moment, and she could feel him trembling. She held him for that moment, then kissed him and let go, and with exchanged farewells, they left.

"Ehmma, would you like me to make you that soup?" Nicky wondered.

Toriel shook her head. "No, for now... for now..." She looked away. "I need to be alone."

Everyone looked up at her at that.

"Would you like us to leave?" Alphys offered gently.

"No, no, stay as long as you want!" Toriel smiled again. "I'll come back out when I'm feeling better."

Again, sans peered at her closely, but said nothing, and she got up to no protests and went to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

* * *

She stood in the doorway for a moment, her eyes shadowed and dark. Then, like a sleepwalker, she went over to Asgore's side of the bed, and held her hands to her chest, her face falling. That thin coat of dust still remained on his blanket, and she stared at it.

It was all she had left, here, of him, in this room - save the dish holding the rest of his dust.

With tears in her eyes, she leaned down and touched the blanket, her fingertips trailing over the grains of what was once her husband.

Her best friend. Her first true love. Her fiance. Her lover. Her husband. Her king...

Her ex, her enemy, her antagonist...

Her lover, her husband, her soulmate...

All of these things were true, even the ugly bits. But she even missed those ugly bits.

Carefully, she folded the blanket up in order to spill no dust, placed it in a zippered pillowcase, and hugged it to her chest. She lowered her nose to it - and she could smell his scent, so strongly that she felt like he was still alive, and this was a dream.

No. It was a nightmare. One she was forced to live in, alone, now.

She curled up on her side of the bed, clutching the blanket pillow to her, and sobbed.

She wanted him back. Again.

But this time, he was not coming back.

And now, more than ever, she wanted to be where he was.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly NSFW chapter!

"What the _hell_ are you doing here, then, Ambassador?! Go be with your family!!"

Frisk and Asriel stared at Crombie in shock. Asriel was crying, yes, but that didn't stop his shock. Frisk had just finished telling her fellows what had happened and why they'd been late, and several of them had simply stared at her in awe. It was only Crombie who found the words to express what they were all thinking.

Five years without Carlson's public influence had done marvels for Frisk's relationship with her fellow politicians. She'd thought, with McCallion's retirement, she'd lose a great deal of allies. But Crombie's cabinet shuffle had been minimal, and she'd even added several new people who were not only younger than Frisk, but whom had also been raised with monsters in their daily lives.

Thus, this reaction.

She felt Asriel press his forehead to her back, and she bit her lip. "I'd also like to ask for bereavement--,"

"You have it, so leave!" Crombie replied, though she was smiling kindly. "We understand. We'll arrange tomorrow's press conference and contact the media. Please, go be with your family."

Asriel suddenly stumbled in front of Frisk and blurted out, "Thank you!" before sobbing and hiding again.

"Thank you," Frisk agreed, her own eyes filling with tears. She'd forgotten; in the almost four decades of hard work, she'd forgotten that the first decade was with Asgore at her side, and that he'd been liked by many, once they could forgive his crimes.

Of course they'd want his daughter and son time to mourn.

Silently, with a shaky bow, Frisk took Asriel's hand and led him out.

"Frisk," Asriel sobbed, once they were alone in the parking lot.

Frisk hugged him tight. "Let's go home, get packed, then go back to Mami, okay?"

Asriel clung to her and nodded. "Frisk," he murmured.

Frisk then blinked. She peered up at him, and his eyes met hers. She understood that look, just as he'd understood hers over thirty years ago.

"Let's go home," she whispered.

* * *

New Solace was quiet, a kind of quiet that was normal, but felt heavy. It felt like it had been days since they'd been there, when mere hours had passed.

The moment the door closed, Asriel hugged onto Frisk again, and she held him tight, feeling her tears well up from deep in her heart. She wasn't much of a weeper; she cried, but not with abandon as often as Asriel, and rarely in front of others save her family. But she felt Asriel cry, too, and she couldn't help it.

She'd loved her father. So much. The moment she met him, she'd been so confused. Everyone had said he was a great, caring, and loving man. Undyne had practically confessed that he was a father to her. When she'd first seen him, she'd been terrified - until she saw his face.

It was a kind face, one of deep sadness - but also hopeful joy. He was a man who struggled daily with the blood on his hands, yet used his kindness as gloves to hide it.

She'd decided then that she'd rather be dead than kill him.

And he'd felt the same way.

It had been so easy to love him. He was so kind and thoughtful to her, so effortlessly loving, that she could never stay mad at him for long. Growing up, she and Toriel yelled and fought all the time, but Asgore, she'd never yelled at. She'd been angry with him, but she'd simply not talk to him, knowing that was the worst way to punish him.

She'd thought, when Asriel had been revived, that they wouldn't need or want her anymore. Instead, they gathered her closer.

Frisk sobbed, once, her fingers digging into Asriel's back, and he held her closer, stroking her hair slowly.

Then, he whispered, "Comfort me...?"

"Only if you comfort me," she sniffled. He nodded, and together, they went to their bedroom.

At first, it was slow and shaky. They both knew what they wanted - needed, really: a reminder that life went on, would always go on, even in darkness. They needed comfort, lasting comfort, one only they could create with each other.

But then, the moment Frisk was atop Asriel, Asriel already fully inside of her, something clicked deep in them both. They clung to each other, suddenly moving fast and hard, eager to hear each other cry out and plead for more, to be devoured by that pleasure they were so sure was now gone.

But it wasn't. It was still there, inside of their souls. Frisk kissed Asriel through most of it, eager for him, her body's movements above him driving him into a haze of pure pleasure and longing. She felt her own cresting pleasure but pushed it back as long as she could, her dark eyes on her husband's bright ones, until she could see, within them, his own pleasure floating to the surface.

When she let go, so did Asriel, unable to hold back when he felt Frisk give way. They kissed, their cries muffled but full of their pleasure, and Frisk drew it out, moving slower and slower as those waves rippled and calmed.

When she stopped, she pulled from their kiss, pressing her sweaty forehead to Asriel's, gasping for breath. Asriel closed his eyes and held her as close as he could, breathless himself, but in the best way.

They didn't move for quite some time after that, their whole bodies and minds taken over by each other.

Then, softly, Asriel started to cry. Frisk leaned down and pressed her body against him, hugging him tight, and he buried his face into her soft shoulder and sobbed, whispering that he loved her, that she was his everything, and that she was the reason he'd always live for.

Frisk cried from those words, too, her face buried into his downy neck. She clung to him, and together, they let that pain loose.

Packing could wait. Right now, they needed this, this private, intimate mourning.


	10. Chapter 10

"Okay," Alphys said finally, setting her pen and phone down. "That should be everyone. We'll be covered for at least a week."

"Thank god," Undyne said weakly, burying her hands into her hair. "I can't take this anymore."

Papyrus rubbed her back gently, and she sighed deeply, closing her eye and lowering her head. She was glad that the kids weren't there, so that she could allow herself to feel weak.

Nicky had gone home to pack for her stay in New New Home, and Basket and Olceal took Dandelion back to Alphys and Undyne's for a nap and a break. Frisk and Asriel had yet to come back, and sans was in the living room, watching TV.

"ah," sans suddenly said, catching their attention. He waved them over, and curiously, they sat down around him, their eyes glued to the screen.

There, a human reporter was speaking. In the background, there was a still of Asgore.

"--have just been informed that Lord Asgore, the once King of the Underground, has passed away today at an unknown age."

Undyne bit her lip, then looked away. Alphys held her arms out to her, and she fell into them, shaking. She didn't cry much - she was so cried out already - but she was still glad that Alphys was there - and she didn't have to worry about upsetting Dandelion.

"While his past is somewhat dark, once the barrier came down between our peoples, he was one of the very first to insist upon peace. He made amends, working at the Academy for Monsters, later renamed Academy for Unity as the groundskeeper. His adopted human daughter, Frisk, from the start of her being Ambassador, had Lord Asgore at her side, and thanks to him, much of what we take for granted now was fought for with great passion by him."

Undyne started sobbing, then. Alphys cried, too, hiding her face in her wife's hair, and suddenly, she was glad that Toriel wasn't there.

Papyrus was watching the screen with his hands folded in front of his mouth, leaning forward. His eyes wavered, but he was silent. Beside him, sans kept a hand on his forearm, his own eyes dim.

The anchor went on, talking at length about how Asgore shaped their modern society. At one point, the anchor - again, who was a human - actually teared up and had to pause to collect their emotions.

That was not a reaction anyone in that room was expected.

The humans had loved him, too.

Silently, sans got up and disappeared down the hallway. No one asked him where he was going; they knew.

Instead, they stayed watching, the words of praise and respect pouring from almost every channel they clicked on washing over them and making them miss their recipient even more.

* * *

By now, they were close enough to forgo this kind of formality, but sans knocked on the door, anyway. When he heard a soft "Come in," he obeyed, closing the door behind him.

Toriel was curled up, her back to the door again, and sans walked over, crawled up onto the bed behind her, and spooned her gently.

Toriel moved back a little, desperate for comfort. She still held the pillowcase-blanket to her chest, but sans then hugged her around her middle, and she curled up tighter and started to weep softly.

"it's okay," sans murmured softly, and she listened. "tori, they're talking about him, and they're saying only good things." He paused, his eyes closing. "i figured you'd want to know."

"Yes," she whispered. "I'm grateful. I'm grateful that they saw his goodness." Her voice wavered. "But I'm angry they're only saying it now that he's gone."

"yeah," sans sighed in agreement.

They were quiet, then, a silence falling between them. It was a comfortable but sad silence, one that seemed loud with their shared grief.

Then, Toriel whispered, "I can't do it, sans."

He shut his eyes, yearning for the ability to cry like his brother, pain sweeping through him so hard he shook.

"i know," he answered brokenly, holding onto her tighter. "i loathe it, but i know."

"Please, don't tell them," she begged, her tears staining the pillowcase in her arms.

"i won't," he promised, though the words tasted like ashes.

"Thank you, sans," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

"me, too," he agreed hoarsely. "i get it, but i'm sorry, too. i'm so fucking sorry."

Toriel whimpered, then, before succumbing to tears once more, and sans held her, wishing he could do the same.

Inside, he could feel his heart breaking, even more than it already was, and he knew it would never, ever be whole again.

* * *

"Darian."

He opened his eyes slowly, looking up and into the warm grey eyes of his wife. She was kneeling in front of his chair, her hands on his knees, and she'd had to shout his name to get his attention.

From what, though? The TV was off, and he had no book or phone. He'd simply sat there, his expression blank, as that was how he felt inside.

Until his eyes met Athena's, that is.

Her face, still lovely with age, was beloved to him. She never failed to get his attention with a look - even if, like now, it took a bit of work. She always knew what to do or say.

"My chick," she murmured, rubbing his knees. "I need you to stay here with me, okay?"

Darian blinked at her, confused. "How... how do you mean?" he wondered, his voice soft with disuse.

"Dawny was down here beside you, watching TV, for an hour, ten minutes ago."

Darian blinked in surprise; the TV had been on, and Dawnson had been in the room, for that long? And he'd missed both?

"Athena," he murmured. She reached up as he leaned his head down, and she cupped his feathery face between her bare, long-fingered hands. "I'm... blank."

"Explain," she urged gently.

He opened his eyes, then leaned back and patted his lap. She smiled faintly and sat down upon him, and he cuddled her close, burying his face into her long, loose hair.

"With you, I _feel_ ," he admitted, and she nodded. "With you, I feel okay. But mostly, when I know I should feel _something_ , I feel... _nothing_. No sadness, no anger, no denial... just..." He shrugged helplessly _. "Blank."_

"Yes, of course you do," Athena replied gently. "You just lost your former boss of decades. After he set you free of your burden and became your friend. I imagine it hurts so much that your mind is desperate to protect you from it."

Suddenly, he looked up at her and smiled, his eyes warming, and she blinked, surprised.

"Athena," he murmured, rubbing his cheek against hers. Her eyes closed and she smiled. "I love you."

"And I love you, Bird Man of Ebott," she replied, kissing his beak gently. "I'd like to think I know you by now. That's it, isn't it?"

He nodded.

"Then do me a favour, and go talk to Dawny about it?" she asked, looking sad all of a sudden. "He doesn't understand."

"Let's go together?" he offered.

She nodded, and together, they went to comfort their son.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW warning for the first half of this chapter!

Frisk was gently stroking Asriel's ears slowly, her eyes closed and her body pressed against his, both on their sides and facing each other. Asriel's eyes were open halfway, watching her, his own hand in her hair and running his fingers through it slowly. Their other hands were held tight between them beneath the covers, even in this state of repose, and they refused to let go.

They didn't want to go back yet. Like this, they were able to pretend nothing else existed but the two of them. Making love had cocooned them, had made them feel safe, and neither were willing to give it up just yet.

Neither wanted to face a world without their father, yet.

"Asriel," Frisk whispered, her eyes still closed.

His eyes opened fully, and he moved closer, circling his arms around her waist. She, in turn, buried her face into his chest and slipped her arms around his neck, her fingers threading into his always-short white hair.

"Frisk," he murmured in reply, closing his eyes and inhaling her scent, letting it wash over him and soothe him.

Then, Frisk raised her head and kissed his lips, reaching down and cupping his face between her hands. It was gentle and soft, one he returned with a warm heart, but even that was enough to bring them both into a state of desire.

"Asriel," Frisk whispered against his lips. "Make love with me again."

Asriel smiled faintly; she hadn't needed to ask, as it was likely that she could feel his own need against her body, especially this close. He kissed her again, taking hold of her and bringing her atop him, and she pressed close, her body already hot and her breaths quickening.

She needed him, desperately. She needed him so much. She knew they'd barely made love an hour ago, but she didn't care. She reached between them, making sure she was wet enough, before she grabbed hold of him and lowered down, taking his full length into herself in one move.

Asriel gasped, surprised, and clung to her, grabbing hold of her tight and burying his face - now red and warm - into her chest. She held him close, and for that moment, they stayed still, simply relishing in that connection.

Then, Asriel leaned down and closed his lips around one of Frisk's already-hard nipples, and she exhaled slowly, her head tilting back and her eyes closing. She started to move, then, and Asriel moaned softly, the sound sending a thrill through her, like it always did. She held him tight, pinned him down to their bed, and increased their pace, suddenly overcome and desperate.

She wanted him to be happy. She wanted to be happy, too. She wanted to feel pleasure, to give pleasure, because the pain was just too much and too abundant right now. She knew that this, for them, was the best way to do that: with their bodies. It had always been that way for them, for decades, now - and it would remain that way, too.

"Frisk, Frisk, slow down," Asriel suddenly pleaded, his head thrown back into the pillows and his words strained. "I'm gonna come too soon if you don't!"

Frisk shook her head, slowing down only a little. The truth was, she was already close, herself, and wanted him to come - and come with her. She watched him, her eyes glazed but able to do that, and when he dug his nails into her back and bit down onto her shoulder, she closed her eyes and let go - feeling him do the exact same moments later, a shared cry upon their lips as they kissed.

And yet, it faded so quickly, even when Frisk did everything she could to draw it out and make it last. Asriel held her tight, gritting his teeth and moving with her, but even he, too, felt as if it was over too fast.

When they stopped, Frisk curled up against him and started to weep softly, her fingers digging into his shoulders so hard that her arms shook. Asriel held her close and tried to kiss her tears away, only to replace them with his own.

They knew, no matter how many times they made love, that they would soon have to face reality once more.

But not yet.

Asriel pulled the blankets over them again and held his wife close, sharing her tears and pain, but feeling comforted at the same time. Frisk felt the same, and they didn't pull away for a long time.

* * *

By the time everyone had returned - save Asriel and Frisk - it was cresting into late afternoon.

Nicky had taken her time packing, and thus was the last to arrive before her parents. She'd packed a week's worth of clothes, planning fully to stay at last a week; she'd already emailed her work and requested bereavement leave, and was give two weeks. She packed funeral clothes, too: dark grey loose slacks and a loose, grey blouse. Unlike humans, monsters mourned in grey, to match the dust their loved ones had become.

She'd sobbed, picking out and packing those clothes. She'd been to a couple of monster funerals by now - Gerson's came to mind - but this was the first one that was deeply personal.

She loathed the idea of wearing them.

When she came in, she was greeted warmly, but saw no sign of sans or Toriel. Quietly, she went down the hall, threw her bag into her father's old room (she knew her parents would use her mother's, like usual), and went back to join them.

She was surprised to see the Redden-Thickes there; Athena and Darian were in the kitchen, cleaning it to keep distracted. Dawnson was sitting with Dandelion and chatting with her (though almost a decade apart, they were still friends). Basket and Olceal were sitting with them, but in silence, Basket cuddled against Olceal in his lap with her eyes closed and her face pale, her husband's face similar. Alphys and Undyne were also holding each other, while Papyrus was on Undyne's other side, an arm around her and his head resting on her shoulder. All were in front of the TV, but were either ignoring it or watching it blankly.

When Nickname walked in, she did it quietly. She didn't want to disturb this. Basket, however, raised her head and opened her eyes, her expression lighting up, and she patted the space beside her and Olceal. With a warm pang to her heart, Nicky sat down beside them, and Basket grabbed her hand and held it. Olceal then met her gaze and nodded, and Nicky bit her lip, shifted closer, and rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. She felt Basket start to gently stroke her hair and Olceal put an arm around her shoulders, and she started to cry silently.

She needed this. She needed this comfort from people she loved, people she knew loved her. Over the years, Basket and Olceal had never turned her away, instead remaining close to her. To her, they were her best friends, her support team, her confidantes. She could always count on either of them to comfort her or keep her company when she needed it.

They had history, those three. A deep one, one that had grown deeper as they grew older. This was one of those major steps upon a new road, and it was in a direction that was one-way. It was a road Nicky had never known, and never cared about - until, suddenly, now.

But Nickname, once she was offered the chance, would go down that road, very soon, and very willingly. And it would be with both of her hands held by people she loved and trusted with everything she was.


	12. Chapter 12

When Frisk and Asriel finally arrived, they did so with food, to use it as an excuse for their tardiness. The only two who didn't buy it were Alphys and Undyne, who both glanced at the two, blinked, then looked back at each other, sharing a small smile.

The thing was, even if they hadn't made that excuse, it would have still been fine. It wasn't just that Alphys and Undyne understood; it was also a reminder that life still went on.

With a shared, knowing look, they snuggled closer together, Undyne whispering something into Alphys's ear, which made her smile, wag her tail, and whisper something back.

When Nicky saw her parents, she blushed and got up quickly, then went to hug them. When she did, she noticed she was shaking, and she realised why: she was scared, and it was of her own feelings.

Luckily, her parents hugged her and kissed her, believing - truthfully - that she needed their comfort. She did, and wished she could explain it, but the only person she felt comfortable talking to about it was...

She gritted her teeth and shut her eyes, clinging to her father, her mother hugging her on her other side.

* * *

"hey, tori, they're back."

Toriel floated up from her haze, her swollen eyes blinking open slowly. She nodded, sighing, before she shifted and sat up slowly. She felt weak and dizzy, and knew that she needed to eat. But there was no appetite, there, and even when she thought of it, she felt ill - far worse than the dizziness.

"Alright," she murmured, as sans sat up next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She smiled at him gratefully. "Can you help me up, please?"

He did, and she took a moment to get steady on her feet. sans held her up, and she steadied against him, a hand to her chest and her eyes closed.

"tori, are... are you sure you won't change your mind?" he asked her after a moment.

She opened her eyes and met his gaze, and he saw the resolution there - as well as the deep, opaque pain. She nodded, and he closed his eyes for a moment.

"okay," he muttered. "then let's go."

* * *

When Toriel walked into view, the first one to reach her was Dandelion, who got up and dashed to her in silence, before crashing into her legs and hugging them tight.

"Grandma, I'm so sorry!" she cried.

Toriel's expression softened, and she leaned down and touched the top of her head, gently. "It's alright, child. I'm alright."

She caught sight of sans glaring at her for a moment, but when she looked at him, it was gone.

"We brought food, Mami," Frisk said. "And stuff. Asriel and I will stay in my room."

Toriel nodded. Over the years, Frisk's room had been changed to fit these needs, and now housed a double-bed and two dressers, instead of a twin and just one. Frisk didn't change the posters, however, so much of her childhood remained on those walls.

Asriel's room was similar, outfitted generally for guests, but mostly for Nicky. She even had spare clothes and a set of towels and toiletries, there, for whenever she wanted to just drop in.

"Wonderful," Toriel said now, smiling for real. "Thank you. I could use company tonight."

"Me, too," Nicky added.

Then, suddenly, Basket said, her voice soft, "Actually, Nicky, if you want, you can stay with us."

Nicky looked over at her, her eyes wide, and both Olceal and Basket nodded. She then wondered if what she had felt was simply her own imagination, her grief making her vulnerable.

But then she saw something in Basket's eyes, then, and swallowed hard. She felt her heart race, and suddenly, so suddenly, she felt yearning.

It shocked her.

She'd never felt it before, not even when she tried her hardest. When Basket, at sixteen, confessed her love for her, she'd been honest in what she'd said: she'd never felt that way about anyone, ever. She'd wanted to, especially for Basket, but when she tried, she couldn't.

Now, suddenly, a decade later, she felt it for the first time in her twenty-nine years.

And to her utmost shock - and, she realised, happiness - it was for _Basket_.

"I..." she stammered. She looked to Toriel again, feeling panicked. "If you'd rather I stay here, Ehmma, I'm fine with that."

Toriel eyed her closely. "I think, my dear, if you plan on having a late night, it would be best to do so with company that can stay up with you."

There it was. The road had opened, and Nicky was in front of that fork.

Then, after glancing at his wife for a moment, he looked at Nickname and said, his voice warm with understanding, "We'd love your company, Nicky."

Nicky nodded, barely realising she was doing so until she stopped. "I... yes," she stammered. "Yes. I'd love to."

By now, everyone - save Athena and Darian - was staring at Nickname. They'd never seen her act flustered, before. Of all of them, she was the one with the calmest head, the serene temper, and thus to see her looking lost but excited about it was perplexing.

Basket met her gaze again, and they stared at each other, thoughts flying between them that could be easily read by their expressions.

Olceal leaned down to her ear, then, and whispered to her. Basket looked at him in shock, but he nodded, smiling warmly. She shook her head, but he nodded again.

He knew his wife.

Luckily, it was at this point that Toriel realised her kitchen was being cleaned, and she stood up straight, her expression stern.

"Get out of my kitchen!" she snapped, startling everyone.

There was sudden silence, before Darian and Athena crept out of the kitchen, looking guilty.

Toriel walked over to them, still glaring, before she hugged them.

"Thank you," she added, "But I can take it from here."

That evening was spent almost normally, despite emotions still running high. Toriel acted like herself, rushing around and making sure everyone was eating and had enough tea, and in those moments, it was nice. It was normal, and happy, and it was easy to forget.

However, when Papyrus asked sans if they could head home, everything came crashing back. sans had fully intended on staying with Toriel, and his eyes went to hers in slight panic.

She smiled. "Papyrus, why don't you and sans stay the night, in Nicky's place? You can use the other room."

Papyrus considered, then nodded - especially when he saw the look of relief on his brother's face.

Nicky, at that, turned to Basket and Olceal, who both smiled at her. She'd already moved her bag to Olceal's car, and knew it was too late to reconsider.

But then she felt Basket take her hand.

And suddenly that yearning flooded through her, so strongly that it shook her deeply, and when her red eyes met Basket's grey eyes, something deep within her warmed up - and started to bloom.

She squeezed that hand, then laced their fingers together. Basket's eyes widened, before she bit her lip and looked down, her cheeks reddening.

She didn't understand, Nicky realised with dismay. Olceal did, but Basket, strangely, did not.

But she would.

Alphys glanced at Undyne, who was holding Dandelion to her chest. Dandy was out cold; despite the fact that it was now only evening, it had been a long day for her and her batteries ran out early. She was like Alphys in that manner, as Alphys, too, was drooping a little. They both nodded, and Undyne stood up with Dandelion, went around and hugged and kissed everyone she could, and then went to get her coat and shoes on.

Alphys hesitated, though. "We should get home," she agreed, "but are you sure you'll be okay?"

"We'll take good care of her," Frisk agreed. Asriel nodded.

"Okay," Alphys said, before she got up and hugged Toriel tight, then went to join her child and wife. With farewells, they were the first to leave.

"I'm fried," Olceal admitted. "I need to get home. Do you two mind?"

Basket smiled up at him, and Nicky shook her head. Together, the three hugged Toriel, Frisk, and Asriel, before they left, as well.

It would be, for most of them, a very, very long night.


	13. Chapter 13

The entire ride to Basket and Olceal's was spent in silence. Nickname was too on edge to say a word, her eyes closed and her fingers fussing with the ring on her right hand - a black, sterling silver band. She felt giddy and sick, excited and frightened, and she couldn't stop thinking about Basket.

Basket, oblivious, rested her head on Olceal's shoulder as he drove, dozing lightly. She was exhausted, and was looking forward to going home and sleeping it off.

Olceal, however, kept glancing at her, then Nickname through the rear-view mirror. It was clear, to him, what was going on in Nicky's mind, and instead of feeling jealousy - like he thought he should feel - he felt almost... relieved. He knew that Basket loved him dearly, loved him more than she had loved anyone else - save one person: Nickname.

He'd always known that Basket would always love her, even when he'd asked her out. Through the years, as they grew closer to her, he'd wondered if something would come of it - and what would happen to him if it did.

Now, he still wondered. He knew that, whether it was tonight or tomorrow, at some point, Nicky would talk to Basket. And when that happened, he knew everything would change between the three of them, forever.

He wanted Basket to be happy. Always.

But...

He didn't want to lose her. Ever.

He glanced at Nicky again briefly, biting his lip. She still had her eyes closed, but she was shaking, still, and she kept biting down on her lip, her hands tangling together.

Clearly, she knew all of this, and didn't want to lose Basket, too.

What he didn't know was that she didn't want to lose either of them, and that was her biggest fear.

But she needn't of worried.

* * *

While Basket got ready for bed, Olceal knocked on the guest room door and talked to Nicky.

She smiled at him in greeting, but it was strained and nervous. He smiled back, took her hand, and said, "It's okay."

She froze, her smile vanishing. "What?"

"I know what you feel," he murmured, "for Basket."

Nicky jerked her hand away, looking horrified. "Olceal, I wasn't... I wouldn't... I wasn't going to..."

"I know," he agreed. "At least, I think I do. I think maybe you'd tell her eventually, but after it fades - or you smother it. But, Nicky, listen..." He sighed. "She still loves you. She always has."

Nicky's eyes filled with tears, now speechless.

"So, yeah. I understand. I understand a lot, Nicky," Olceal went on, his head now lowered. "I just... I need to ask you, anyway. I need to. I know you can't control it, but please..." He looked up, his eyes full of tears, and whispered, "Please don't take her completely away from me..."

Nicky went to him and hugged him tight, crying in earnest, now. He clung to her, and she whispered, "I won't. I won't do anything, Olceal, I promise, I won't--,"

"No," Olceal pulled away. "That's not what I asked." His expression softened, and he touched her cheek, surprising her. "I asked you to try not to take her completely away from me. Not to do nothing."

He swallowed. "Bassy needs you, Nicky." His eyes searched hers. "And you... For once, you need her. I can't deny either you that. And I won't."

Before she could even try to reply, he kissed her cheek, then pulled away, and left, closing the door behind him.

Nicky sat down on the bed hard, covered her face, and wept. The thing was, now - and she loathed herself for this - she wanted Basket even more, knowing what she did, especially knowing that Olceal did, too.

It clearly pained him, to say what he did. But he said it. And he meant it: he wanted Basket to be happy, but he also didn't want to lose her.

But again, neither of them had anything to worry about.

* * *

Basket slumped onto the bed, smelling of mint and camomile, like she always did before bed. Olceal smiled, and she looked back at him with a wider smile.

"Hey," she said softly, touching his cheek. "Did you check on Nicky?"

He nodded, his eyes wavering a little. "Yeah," he agreed. "She's... in a bad way, Bass. I think she needs your help."

Basket nodded, biting her lip. "Yeah. To be honest, I need hers, too. We both loved Grandpa a lot. We grew up with him as a constant in our lives, y'know?"

Olceal nodded, brushing a hand over her cheek softly. "I do," he agreed. "Go talk to her."

She nodded again. "Okay. I won't be long, okay? But if you conk out, don't worry. Just sleep. It's been a long, shitty day."

He smiled at her then, pulling her into a hug. She hugged him back tight.

Then, he whispered, "No matter what happens tonight, I'm not going anywhere. I promise. I won't leave you. Ever. Unless you ask me to."

Basket blinked up at him, confused. "Olly, what are you talking about?"

He kissed her, then said, "I love you."

"I love you too, silly," she replied, smiling. "Why would I ever want you to leave? Silly stoat." She kissed his nose. "I'll be back."

She slid out of their bed, blew him a kiss, and shut the door behind her. Olceal closed his eyes, curled up, and grabbed his phone and a set of headphones, putting them on and listening to music.

He didn't fall asleep, eventually. But he would still wake up, later.

* * *

"Yo," Basket called, knocking on Nicky's door with a tentative smile, before she walked in. "Wanna talk about it?"

Nicky stared at her, her eyes wide, looking as though thunderstruck. She nodded silently, and she started shaking again, especially when Basket sat down and opened her arms to her.

Nicky grabbed onto her tight, bursting into tears and burying her face into Basket's shoulder. Basket bit her lip, holding her close and stroking her hair slowly, giving her a light kiss atop her head in between.

Nicky suddenly clung onto her tighter from that, surprising Basket, but she didn't let go. She rested her cheek on the top of Nicky's head and closed her eyes, weeping a little, herself. She couldn't help it. It still hurt.

Nicky was dazed in Basket's arms. Never had a hug from her felt like this - so warm and soothing, so gentle and reassuring, yes - but she also felt something deeper, a shiver along her skin, a giddiness in her belly, that made her tremble. This close, able to smell her and feel her so intimately, brought that yearning back so hard that she uttered a soft sound from it, unable to hold it back.

Basket heard it and pulled a little away to look down at her. "Nicky? Are you okay? That sounded... painful..."

Nicky looked up at her, her face red and her eyes full - and bright. She stared at Basket, her breaths short, and Basket stared back, spellbound.

"Bassy," she whispered. "I'm... not okay."

Basket nodded. "Yeah," she agreed. "I don't blame you. I... I wouldn't be, either. You and he were really close."

 _And what would he say about this?_ Nicky suddenly wondered.

_"Feelings are strange. They morph, they mutate, they grow, they shrink. But most of all, they change. And there's nothing wrong with that."_

_Yeah. He'd say something like that, for sure - especially if it were about Basket._

"Listen, do you need company tonight?" Basket wondered gently. "I can cuddle you to sleep, so you're not alone. Olly will be okay."

Nicky nodded right away, and Basket smiled. When she did, Nicky's heart skipped, and she couldn't take it anymore.

She had no idea what she was doing. She had no idea what would come of it. She was not the type to throw caution to the wind at any time.

But looking into Basket's face, seeing that gentle, understanding, and yes, loving, smile, Nicky threw it all to the wind.

She darted forward, took hold of Basket's face, and kissed her.

Now, there was no going back.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW. Sooo NSFW.

Basket froze, her eyes flaring in shock, and she didn't move. Her heart stopped for a moment, unable to believe what was happening.

Nicky realised, and pulled away, her face red, speechless. Basket stared at her, then suddenly lunged, startling Nicky - until she realised she was being held by Basket - at last - and was kissing her, again. 

This time, Nicky tried to kiss back, clumsy at first, until, with patience from Basket, she finally got it, and managed to return the kiss. Basket pulled her closer, and she clung hard, not once hesitating or moving away, shocking Basket even more - but not enough for her to stop.

Suddenly, Nicky pushed Basket down onto the cot, and before she could say a word, Nicky pinned her, straddling her and holding her face again, kissing her again. Basket's mind swam, her heart racing, even as she kissed back, even as her hands moved forward and started to unbutton Nicky's pyjama top. 

Nicky didn't stop her, instead reaching between them to tug Basket's nightgown up and around her hips, before reaching a hand beneath it, touching bare, scaley skin. Basket made a sound against her lips, her fingers stumbling over the buttons of Nicky's shirt, and suddenly, Nicky pushed her hands away, instead pinning them above her head for a moment, before she managed to get one hand beneath Basket's underwear.

Nicky felt a thrill, then, one she'd never experienced - especially when Basket jolted and gasped out her name in surprise. But before she could even get her hands past those soft curls, Basket stopped her, grabbing her arm and holding it still, breaking their kiss.

"No, stop," she gasped out, her voice choked. "Stop. Nicky, I can't. I can't do this to Olly! I don't.. I don't know what's gotten into you..." Her eyes filled with tears, and Nicky bit her lip. "But I can't... I can't betray Olly... I... I love you, Nicky, but... I love Olly, too."

"Bassy, he knows," Nicky whispered, kissing her forehead gently but keeping the rest of herself still. "He knows, and he's okay with it. He just... doesn't want to lose you."

Basket closed her eyes, trembling, her claws digging into Nicky's arm. Suddenly, now, she understood her husband's words, and they both hurt and healed.

_"No matter what happens tonight, I'm not going anywhere. I promise. I won't leave you. Ever. Unless you ask me to._

_I love you."_

"Nicky," Basket whispered, then, her eyes opening again and meeting hers. Nicky nodded, and Basket reached up, took hold of the back of her head, and led her back down. Nicky's eyes filled - and blazed - when their lips met again, and inside, Basket felt something within her open up again, a part of her she'd kept closed for so long - and yet everything came rushing back out, all at once.

She pushed Nicky's hand beneath her underwear further, and Nicky's brain shorted out for a moment when her fingers registered what she was touching. She was only used to her own, so to touch someone else - especially Basket - was a shock.

But she did, something igniting deep within her, and she tentatively stroked her fingers slowly along Basket's folds. Basket closed her eyes, exhaling sharply and relaxing beneath her, and suddenly, Nicky felt hot all over - especially between her legs. She moved her fingers back up, trailing the tips over soft moisture and smooth skin, and Basket's face went red, her head tilting back.

For years, she'd dreamt of this. For as long as she could remember. It came rushing back: that hopeful yearning, that desperate love... She reached up and slipped her arms around Nicky's neck, tangling her hands into her hair and pulling her close, burying her face into her shoulder.

Then, to Nicky's shock, Basket's body started to move with her touches, and she licked her lips, suddenly excited. She was only going by her own personal experience, but Basket was open to her, and with every gesture, Nicky could tell what she liked - and didn't. 

Soon, Basket was taken over, one hand back on Nicky's forearm, the other still tangled in her hair, as her body moved in time with Nicky's hand, her breaths short and her stamina shorter. 

"Nicky..." she whispered, and Nicky nodded, still speechless and amazed by what was happening. "Don't... don't stop... I'm... cl-close..."

Nicky stared at her. It had only been, at least, ten minutes. For her, it took almost twice as long to come. She hadn't anticipated this, but she nodded, keeping her pace consistent, her whole body humming with anticipation. 

"Nicky," Basket then growled out, her body jerking a little, before she arched back, gasping. She couldn't speak, now, her breath taken away from her, as her orgasm crept up on her - then crashed into her full force. She keened out, her claws digging into Nicky's arm, her face bright red and her body sweaty, but she laughed in between gasps, barely able to believe it.

Basket then collapsed, her hands dropping to her chest, and she grabbed hold of the front of her nightgown tight, trembling and gasping for breath, her eyes still closed. Nicky leaned down and hugged her tight, kissing her cheek, and Basket nuzzled her and held her close, smiling so wide that her cheeks hurt. 

"Holy shit," Nicky then whispered into her ear, trembling a little, herself. 

Basket laughed again, reaching up and cupping Nicky's face between her hands and searching her face closely. Deep within those red eyes, she could see banked desire, still smouldering, and it shocked her. She'd never known Nicky's eyes to look like that, and that desire only burned brighter when their eyes met. 

Basket suddenly pushed her off of herself, surprising her - until Basket suddenly threw her nightgown off over her head, leaned down, and kissed Nicky, reaching between them to resume unbuttoning her top. Nicky gasped, her legs going around Basket's waist again, and Basket finally pushed the top apart and off of Nicky's shoulders. Nicky shrugged it off and tossed it aside, before they both suddenly paused.

"Oh," Nicky murmured, her eyes moving down to Basket's breasts. "Oh, wow, Bassy..."

Basket blushed, muttering something, before she looked down at Nicky, instead. Her face lit up, and she reached down and gently cupped one of her soft breasts. 

Nicky's eyes flared in surprise, before they darkened with sudden need, and she breathed out slowly, squirming a little. "That feels good," she whispered, sounding amazed. 

"Good," Basket replied with a smile, before leaning down and gently nuzzling the curve of Nicky's neck. Nicky purred, her hands sliding up Basket's arms, which made her shiver a little. 

"Your turn," Basket added, sliding her hand down from Nicky's breast to lower, over her stomach and then below her pants. Nicky moved her legs, kicked off her pyjama bottoms - then shrugged and slid her underwear off, too. Basket smiled faintly, but she also went bright red; Nicky, to her, was stunning. 

When she felt Nicky tug at her own underwear, she blinked in surprise, looking back up at her. Nicky's eyes blazed, her fangs bared and buried deep into her bottom lip, and silently, she nodded. She knew exactly what she wanted, exactly what she was doing, and she wanted Basket to keep going in that direction. When Basket slipped her underwear off, Nicky's mouth went dry, her heart racing, and she knew, she _knew,_ that this was right, and exactly what she needed - and wanted.

Which was Basket. All of Basket. 

At last.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO NSFW!!

Basket moved close, reaching between them for a moment, touching first herself, then Nicky - before her hand lingered, suddenly. Nicky inhaled sharply, her eyes flaring wide, and she suddenly grabbed hold of Basket. 

Basket froze - exactly what Nicky _didn't_ want - and whispered, "Sorry, I-I... d-do you want me to st-stop?"

"No!" Nicky yelped, louder than she intended. Basket's light touches had sent her into a haze, one of gentle pleasure, and the last thing she wanted was for it to end. She never thought anyone else's touches could make her feel anything, let alone _this..._

"No," she repeated, softer this time. "Please. Don't stop. Keep... touching me..."

Basket blushed, then moved down a little and parted Nicky's legs gently, an idea coming to her. She kept touching her lightly with her fingers for a moment, something that had Nicky staring up at her in shock, a smile on her face - one she didn't even realise she wore. 

But when Basket moved between her legs, moving to replace her fingers with her mouth, Nicky stopped her.

"No," she whispered, her face reddening. "I want... I-I want..."

Basket stared at her. "But... Nicky, I've never been with a woman before, I don't know if--,"

"Do you think I care?" Nicky broke in, sitting up onto her elbows and looking at her quite seriously. "Do you think it matters to me? What matters to me is _you._ I want you, Bassy."

Basket closed her eyes, resting her forehead against one of Nicky's knees for a moment, biting her lip. She was shaking a little, but her heart was racing and her blood was hot. She wanted Nicky, too, in the exact same way. 

But she didn't want to mess it up, either. She didn't know what would happen after this - if anything, at all - and therefore wanted to make sure Nicky enjoyed herself as much as possible. 

Then again, when she looked back up at Nicky, she could tell that Nicky was enjoying herself immensely, and was eager for more. When their eyes met again, Nicky even nodded. 

"Okay," Basket stammered, moving back up. She pressed herself down against Nicky, kissing her deeply, before she took hold of her legs and wrapped them around her waist again. Nicky made a soft sound, from deep in her throat - especially when Basket touched her, again. 

Then, Basket lowered her hips down and rubbed closely against Nicky, and Nicky jerked away from the kiss, her eyes flaring in shock. She grabbed hold of Basket tight, burying her face into her shoulder, and Basket bit her lip for a moment, before she shifted, holding herself up on her hands. Nicky growled this time, moving her hips up to meet Basket's instinctively, and from there, suddenly, it was easy. 

Nicky's eyes were closed tight, her teeth gritted and bared, her face burning. Each time they moved together, they rubbed close, and every time that happened, Nicky felt a pang of pleasure, one that lingered and began to build up. Her breaths turned hoarse, and soon, she couldn't help it: she bit down on Basket's shoulder, her fangs grazing but not breaking her skin - likely thanks to how tough and scaley it was. 

Basket felt that bite and gasped, smiling and shutting her eyes. Nicky noticed, shifting closer and biting again, and Basket growled, this time, her fingers digging into the mattress beneath them. Nicky was intrigued by this; apparently Basket liked biting. She made a note of that with a small smile. 

"Oh," Basket suddenly moaned out, her voice choked. She pressed down on Nicky, moving faster, something that Nicky suddenly wanted very much. She looked up at Basket - and grinned, realising that she now recognised that expression. 

"Yes," Nicky whispered into her ear, making her shiver. "Go ahead."

"I-I..." Basket stammered, lowering her head to Nicky's and pressing her forehead to hers. "N-Nicky..."

"Yes," Nicky repeated, kissing her lips gently. Basket growled again, returning the kiss with increasing fervour, before she pulled away with a cry, clinging to Nicky tightly and losing control, coming again - and this time, far more intensely. Basket could barely take it, and by the time she could breathe, she was laughing again, in between shocked sobs. Nicky held her close, kissing her again and again, smiling, now, too. 

Basket then paused for a moment, trying to collect herself. Nicky bit her lip, her heart still racing and her body still eager. Before she could even ask, however, she suddenly felt Basket pin her down - and then start to move again. 

Nicky's eyes flared, shifting her legs up a bit higher, before she laid back and arched her back a little. When she did, she shuddered, feeling an influx of pleasure hit her hard - a pleasure that only increased with each thrust of Basket's hips against hers.

"Please," Basket whispered, surprising her. "Please, Nicky. I-I want... I want you to..." 

"Keep going," Nicky answered honestly, burying her face into Basket's other shoulder this time - and biting down hard. Basket shivered again, and in response, she moved faster - a simple gesture that sent Nicky reeling. 

Nicky had never, in all of her life, come to climax this quickly. She knew her own body, knew its needs and how best to meet them, but this... This went beyond needs. The moment she felt it creep up on her, she knew - she just _knew_ \- that this wasn't over. Not for her. 

She then made a sound she'd never made before in her life: choked begging, incoherent, before she sank her fangs back into Basket's shoulder, her orgasm crashing through her and sending her reeling once more. 

Basket noticed, moving to draw it out and make it last - she at least knew how to do that - and Nicky groaned again, the sound muffled by her still biting down on Basket's shoulder. 

Then, Nicky relaxed beneath her, pulling away and dropping back, breathing hard - and grinning. Basket started to move away, but Nicky grabbed her back, and she laughed and remained where she was, cuddling close.

A silence fell between them as they calmed, reality slowly waking up between them. Basket suddenly shut her eyes and buried her face into Nicky's shoulder, sniffling. Nicky's smile faded and she opened her eyes, concerned. 

"Bassy?" she whispered. 

Basket hesitated, then just got it all out. "Listen," she stammered, her voice choked. "I-I understand, okay? I know that you needed this, just this once, because of Grandpa. I'm not angry, and I-I could never hate you...I-I'm happy you chose me..." She sniffled again. "But-but... but... I-I wish... I wish..." She trailed off, her words simply drying up, and she bit her lip, hiding her face back in Nicky's shoulder. 

Nicky closed her eyes, holding onto Basket tighter and rubbing her back. The thing was, she agreed with Basket: when she first felt those feelings, she knew them to be grief, and the desperate need to be reminded of being alive, something she knew she could never achieve on her own. And she assumed that, once she'd gotten it out of her system, that would be it; it would be out.

But Nicky now gritted her teeth, her heart aching, because she realised what a fool she'd been for thinking that way. Making love with Basket didn't get the need for love out of her system. Instead, it had rooted love deep within it. 

And now, suddenly, she felt what Basket had felt on her sixteenth birthday, and she burst into tears. She felt that deep, painful love, one that could never be cherished as it was meant to be, one that could only be one-sided and always there...

Basket jumped, her own tears stopping immediately, and she raised her head quickly. "Nicky?" she murmured, touching her cheek and brushing her tears away. Nicky sobbed harder, the gesture only making everything worse, completely unable to speak, now.

"Nicky, wh-what did I...? Oh god, do you...?" Basket's face paled, and she sat up quickly, moving away from Nicky so fast that she couldn't stop her. "Nicky, I'm-I'm... I didn't mean to... I-I--,"

Nicky reached up and covered her mouth, shaking her head quickly. She sat up, grabbed her phone, and, between sobs, typed something into it quickly. 

Basket's phone chimed, and she looked at Nicky, confused, now. Nicky nodded, still speechless, and Basket went to grab it from the dresser where she'd left it. She opened the text - and sat back down, hard.

_"Please, don't let me go. I don't want you to leave me. I don't want to leave you. I don't want you to leave Olly. I just want to stay together. I don't want this to just be about grief, and I hate that it took grief for me to understand. I love you, Bassy, and I love Olly, too. I want to stay."_

Basket looked up at Nicky, her vision blurry from tears, and Nicky nodded again, closing her eyes and lowering her head. 

Then, together, they dropped their phones and grabbed each other, hugging tight and sobbing against each other. 

They didn't let go for a long, long time. Not until they had no tears left between them.


	16. Chapter 16

When they were both calm, Basket whispered, "I... I need to talk to Olly."

Nicky raised her head and looked up at her. Basket was looking away, her expression scared, and Nicky reached up and touched her cheek, getting her attention.

"Bassy," she murmured gently, "He's going to be okay." 

"B-but, Nicky, wh-what...?" Basket shut her eyes closed tight. "What i-if he... l-leaves me? I-I've... cheated on him... with you..." She hiccupped. "I-I know what he said, b-but... But..."

Nicky nodded. "Yeah, let's go talk to him," she agreed. She, too, was starting to get worried, too, now that Basket mentioned it. She, too, believed Olceal when he'd said what he'd said. But...

They got dressed again, both a little shaky, still stunned by what had just happened between them - and what could happen next. When they were dressed, Basket grabbed Nicky's hand, and together, they went to see Olceal. 

He was still curled up, listening to music and waiting to fall asleep. His back was to the door, so Nicky hung back while Basket went forward. She sat down beside him, touching his back, and he jumped, ripping the headphones off and looking up at her in shock. 

"Bass?" he murmured. She nodded, biting her lip, and he searched her eyes closely - and knew. His eyes wavered before they lowered, and he nodded, too, gently taking her hand between his.

"Olly," she whispered. "Olly, I..." Her voice broke. "Olly... Olly..." She burst into tears, and without a word, Olceal reached up and grabbed her, holding her tight. 

This close, Olceal could smell Nicky's scent upon his wife, and he shut his eyes, burying his face into her shoulder, bursting into tears of his own. 

He knew what this meant. He knew, and he wanted to disappear.

Until, Basket sobbed out, "Please, Olly, please, don't-don't... don't... l-leave me..."

His eyes opened in surprise, and she went on, her voice broken, still.

"I under-understand if you want to," she admitted. "I betrayed y-you. I just... I can't... Olly, please... Olly, please!"

Olceal shook his head quickly, cupping her face between his hands and kissing her lips gently. She sobbed against his lips, kissing back and holding onto the front of his shirt, and he shook his head again, staring right into her eyes. She stared back, terrified. 

Behind them, Nicky hung back, trembling, tears of her own streaking down her cheeks. She wanted, desperately, to apologise, to hug them both, to remind them that she loved them, that... that she wanted to stay...

"I'm not going anywhere," he said softly. "I meant it when I told you before, and I mean it, now. I'll go if you ask me to, of course, but... god, Bassy, no, I don't want you to leave. I don't care."

"How can you not care?!" she cried.

"Because I love you, trust you, and love and trust Nicky, too," he admitted, surprising Nicky. "I know neither of you want to hurt me, or break up this marriage." 

Then, he smiled faintly. "I don't want that, either." He looked past Basket then, and right at Nicky, who jumped and leaned away from the doorway, surprised. "I want us to be a _family,"_ he went on, looking between Basket and Nicky, now. "Like... Like I think we were always meant to be."

Nickname stared at him, shocked. It was exactly how she felt, only she'd never been able to put it into words, despite her ease with them. She nodded to him, and he smiled at her, holding out a hand to her. Basket turned, then realised what Olceal was doing - and what it meant. She sobbed, a sound mixed with a laugh, and placed her hand on his.

Then, Nicky walked over, and with shaky fingers, reached out and grabbed hold of both of their hands. Immediately, she felt them both take hold of hers between theirs, and she sat down on the bed, her knees giving out. 

She looked at Olceal, who nodded with a smile. As if they'd planned it, together, they encircled Basket between them, letting go of her hand to pull her down onto the bed, squished between them. Her eyes widened, then closed, and the moment all three were comfortable, she started to cry - hard. 

And Nickname and Olceal held her close between them, their own hands intertwined together as they did, sharing her tears, but also trying to ease them. 

It took time, but they did eventually fall asleep. Basket, however, was the last to do so. She remained where she was, held by Olceal to his chest, while Nicky held her close and cuddled against her back. She felt as if she could barely breathe, as though to do so would wake her up. 

She closed her eyes, smiled, and wept quietly. Her heart was so full. It hurt, but it also felt worth that pain. 

When she did fall asleep, she didn't dream. She didn't need to.

Not that night.

* * *

In the morning, Basket woke up slowly, confused. She felt weighed down and very warm, as well as very soothed. When she concentrated, she felt gentle, familiar lips trailing along the curve of her neck, and she smiled and shivered.

"Olly..." she whispered, turning and moving closer to him. She heard him purr softly - then froze. She suddenly felt someone gently hold her from behind, and she'd forgotten - until that moment. 

But Nicky had woken up warm, surprising herself - especially when she'd felt Basket move and heard her voice. She couldn't help herself, and she shifted closer, her own lips moving along the nape of Basket's neck slowly.

Basket suddenly found it hard to breathe. Her eyes stayed closed, and unknown to her, over her shoulder, Olceal and Nicky's gaze met - and sparked, sharing a smile that they both knew to be a mirror of the other. Silently, they sat up, and above Basket, they kissed. 

Her eyes snapped open in shock, watching them both - especially when neither pulled away after a moment, instead deepening it. Yet their hands touched not each other, but Basket, and she was starting to lose it.

"Hey!" she cried, breaking them apart. They looked down at her, surprised - especially when they saw how red she was. They'd expected jealousy, but instead, in Basket's face, they saw joy - and desire.

And sure, just a little jealousy - but mostly because they weren't kissing _her._

Then, suddenly, she found herself showered in kisses from both of them, and she burst into giggles, as they both joined in and laughed with her. 

Then, she froze, her eyes flaring. "This is a dream," she blurted out. 

As one, Nickname and Olceal pinched her, one to each shoulder, and she yelped - then started laughing and crying at the same time. The pain was real, which meant that this was, too.

"No, Bassy," Nicky murmured, stroking her hair. 

"Honey, don't cry," Olceal added, kissing her tears away softly. 

"I'll cry if I fucking want!" she answered. "I'm fucking happy, and I don't know how to deal with it!"

"I bet I do," Olceal suddenly said, grinning at her.

She glared at him - but her eyes shone. "You lewd stoat," she answered - but this time, her voice wavered with mirth.

"What about a lewd goat-human?" Nicky murmured into her ear, surprising her. 

Basket laughed, then reached out and grabbed them both, pulling them to her.

From there, they didn't let go. Nor would they, either. 

Finally.


	17. Chapter 17

The night did not go as smoothly for others.

Papyrus kept to himself, though he did find himself sleepless. He kept himself busy, either on his phone or practising his magic. But even he was affected deeply by the loss to their family, and his heart wasn't in a lot of the activities he tried to get lost in.

He knew sans was in pain. He also knew that sans was keeping something from him - and that it involved Toriel.

Papyrus was not a fool. He knew how much Toriel meant to his brother. Over the years, he'd watched sans through it all, be it struggling with one-sided love; or dealing with making amends for killing - for he did not deny that was what he'd done - Frisk; or, more recently, watching that love shift again, from Toriel, to Frisk, to finally something in-between - something he soon shared with Asgore, too.

Papyrus knew love. While it didn't interest him much romantically, he knew it. He loved dearly, and deeply. And that love made him understand a great deal more than many others gave him credit for.

So he knew that, without a doubt, this wasn't it. There was more to fear, more to lose.

He just hoped he was strong enough to be there for his brother when it did.

* * *

That night, Toriel was cold.

She knew it wasn't just because she was hungry, either. She knew it was because Asgore was not there.

The entire room felt like it was encased in ice. She huddled under the covers on her side of the bed, clutching the pillow-blanket to her closely, shivering, but no matter how much she curled up, she was still freezing cold.

When she felt sans crawl up behind her, again, she bit her lip, especially when he hugged her, again, blankets and all. She shivered again, and he rubbed her back, trying to warm her up.

"please," he murmured, surprising her. "toriel, please reconsider."

She closed her eyes tight, feeling them burn, but she shook her head, holding the pillow tighter to her chest. "I... I can't..." she whispered. "I... I want... I want to be where he is, sans."

"but what about us, here?" he answered, still rubbing her back. "we need you, while he doesn't."

"But... but sans, I..." She whimpered softly. _"I_ need _him..."_

There was nothing he could say to that - nothing at all. Instead, he shut up, burying his face into her upper back and holding her tight.

He held her through the night, not sleeping through all of it. He listened, making sure she kept breathing - especially when she did finally fall asleep, into the early morning.

He desperately wanted her to keep breathing.

* * *

In quiet voices, Frisk and Asriel planned the next day. They knew Toriel would not be able to; after seeing her state before they went to bed, they knew that to ask her anything to do with Asgore's will or funeral would only hurt her - and shut her down.

"I have a copy," Frisk admitted softly, stroking Asriel's ear; his head rested upon her chest as he listened to her. "He gave it to me not long after dealing with Carlson. Mami, too. I know what to do."

Asriel closed his eyes. "What...? What does Dad's will say?"

Frisk sighed. "He wanted his dust split up. He wanted Mami to take however much she wanted, if she outlived him, and spread the rest in different places: some in the garden of New Home, some in the garden of New New Home, and the rest with Mami's, wherever she choose to rest hers." She smiled. "Hers is almost the exact same, except she also wants her dust scattered at the Ruins, where she found me."

Asriel thought about it. "They should both be buried - or at least scattered - with Chara."

Frisk closed her eyes and nodded. Not long after the barrier broke, she, Toriel, and Asgore had given Chara a proper burial on the surface, beside her sister, Maine, and Frisk's human parents. It was a perfect resting place for them both.

"It's... where I want us to be, too," Asriel added, his voice a whisper. "With the rest of our family."

Frisk smiled. "My love, I've already bought the lots for myself, you, and Nicky," she admitted.

Asriel's eyes snapped open in surprise, and she nodded, stroking his cheek.

"You probably won't become dust when you die, love. And it's likely Nicky won't turn to dust when she dies, either," Frisk went on gently. "So if she doesn't, she has a grave. If she does, well, she still has a place, and so do you."

"Frisk," Asriel whispered, "how do you find the strength to even think about those things?"

Frisk's smile faded. "I don't," she admitted. "I just... do them, especially if it hurts. Because if I do them when it hurts, it'll hurt less when the time comes to implement them."

"God," Asriel murmured. "Frisk, I... I..." His expression fell, and his eyes filled with tears. "I never thought about any of that, at all."

"I know," Frisk agreed. "So I did, for us. To make it easier for you, and for me."

"Frisk...?" Asriel murmured, raising his head. She nodded, reaching up and brushing his tears away, unaware that she shed them, too. When he touched her cheek, she nodded again, biting her lip, and he pushed close and kissed her.

They made love in near-silence that night, finding no words coming to either of them, even when they tried. It was too emotional, and both were so tired in that regard that they couldn't voice it. But luckily, they didn't have to, because they both already knew.

They fell asleep not long after, Asriel almost right away, but Frisk staying awake for a bit longer, her thoughts on what she needed to say tomorrow.

And then, on what needed to be done not long after that.

She drifted off, then, dreading the next day, but knowing it had to be dealt with.

And she knew she wasn't alone. That was the biggest comfort.

* * *

Alphys awoke to the sound of Undyne weeping, and she felt her own eyes tear up. It was one of the saddest sounds she'd ever heard, because Undyne, of all things, was desperately trying to smother it.

"No," Alphys murmured, startling her as Alphys moved behind her and hugged her. "Don't, love. Just... let go."

Undyne bit her lip, then turned around and clung to her, bursting into fresh tears, only this time, without restraint. Alphys held her tight, crying tears of her own, but she didn't let go of Undyne through it. That mattered to Undyne, a great deal.

It was only when, some time later, that they both received the same text message from Basket, that they were distracted enough to calm down.

It was simply this: _"Ffffffffffffffhjkljhgjkjhhk"_

"Wh...? What the fuck does that mean?!" Undyne spluttered, her eye darting between her phone and Alphys's.

Alphys, however, suddenly went bright red, and she hunched over her phone, her eyes filling with tears, as she typed a response.

_"Tell me that thinks what I think it means, Bassy?"_

To which she got the reply: _"FUCKIN LOL, HOW, MUM, HOW????"_

Then, it was followed by: _"YES."_

Alphys laughed, holding the phone to her chest and wagging her tail so hard that she upended her blankets. She cried, too, but from joy - pure, unfiltered joy.

"Alphy," Undyne growled, glaring at her.

Alphys nodded. "I kn-know, I know!" she giggled. "I... I'll explain as we get ready, okay?"

Undyne frowned. "Promise?"

"Yes!" Alphys agreed between laughs.

Undyne then nodded, before getting out of bed. "Alright, let's get ready. Start talking."

Alphys laughed again, so hard she fell over, and it took her quite the time to stop. But when she could, she explained it, and soon, Undyne was laughing alongside her.

It was nice, to laugh, to really laugh, to feel real happiness when it seemed like all was lost.

And it was a morning they would cling to, in the passing days, as it would be the last time they laughed like that for a long, long time.


	18. Chapter 18

That morning, Frisk got out Asgore's will. Together, with Toriel, sans, Papyrus, and Asriel, they went over it. It had been updated only two years prior, and it went, after the usual legal prerequisite, as follows:

  _"I name my daughter, Frisk, as my executrix. She, I know, will know what to do once I'm gone. But just in case, here is an outline._

 

_If I outlive my dear Toriel, please scatter my dust with hers in every place she was scattered, including Chara's gravesite. Additionally, I would request that, if I unfortunately widow Tori, that she keep any amount of dust for herself, however much it may be, if she desires it._

_For Frisk, my daughter, my light and my saviour, I leave her the deed to New New Home, should Toriel accept (if she outlives me) and if she wants it._

_Frisk, my daughter, you fell into my life and changed it forever, and for that I can never repay you. But I can grant you the right to your childhood home. And thus I will it. I'm so sorry you had to bury another parent, my dear, but because of your own fearlessness, you not only gave me a real life, but my own dead son back, and with full knowledge that you'd never come back from that. But you did. And you are all the more precious for it. Your courageous heart, your brave countenance, your calm stoicism... New New Home is paltry in comparison to what you've given me, but it's the best I can do. I love you, my daughter._

_For Asriel, my son, my miracle and my joy, I leave him my crown, both the real article and the title._

_You, my son, my boy who died doing the right thing, who suffered for years in a limbo, you have truly become a king in my eyes. The people look up to you, and they will love you, though certainly not as much as I do, now. I know you have guilt, my son. But I would much rather have died and watch you grow up than live forever and see you remain as you were. I would have died to bring you back, even if it mean never seeing you grow up. Do not blame yourself. You are a beautiful gift, and I know I died knowing that, and died happy. I love you so much, baby boy._

_To Nickname, my gift of a granddaughter, my lovely diplomat, I leave her my political files - all of them._

_I know you will make good and wise use of them, and bring our two worlds even closer together. You were the first, Nicky. The first of what was once a broken line, now the start of a longer, infinite chain. My dear, your heart beats with the love that created you, the love of your beautiful parents who will defend and adore you til their last breaths. Frisk may joke that you were the best accident ever to happen, but often, when I see her look at you, I wonder if she realises that you were never an accident. I know my son, and I know my daughter. They may tease and laugh, but you, my dear, were no accident. You were made, like I said, from pure love, and I know you have so much of that love to give. Open your heart, open your eyes, and open your arms. You are not alone._

_To Undyne and Alphys, I leave them my weapons and any other paperwork that Nickname will not need or use._

_Undyne, my special, beautiful echo flower, the daughter I never expected to get but was blessed to, you have made me so proud. You have defended me as Paladin, but you have also grown up into a warrior on your own. Your dedication to this family is beautiful, but the dedication to your own family in specific is gorgeous. I always knew that you and Alphys would end up together, the moment you spent an entire sparring match talking about her. The fact that you got married and had children will always take my breath away. You're a beautiful wife, a fantastic mother, and a monster who represents us in the almost-perfect way. Again, I'm so proud of you. I love you so much, Undyne._

_I also leave Alphys the sealed Gaster file, with ashamed admission that yes, I did hide it from you, for good reason, and yes, I foolishly did it to protect you, Alphys. When I met you that day, I had no idea what it would lead to. I never imagined that I'd not only have someone skilled and intelligent enough to update our technologies, but one whom I'd be a friend to, as well. I know you made mistakes, but you also put your life on the line several times to atone for those mistakes - one that almost failed. But it did not, and you instead found a stay to instead monster death. You also helped bring back my son, a gift I can never, ever repay. I'm proud of you also, Alphys. I know it was hard. I know you've wanted to give up so many times. But I'm glad you failed, each time. I love you, Alphys. You are also my daughter, and have been for a very long time. Please, keep loving Undyne, like I know she loves you._

_To sans, I leave my collection of pun books. I know he'll use them well._

_I also want you to know, sans: I forgive you. I have forgiven you for many years, now, but I want you to see it here, so you know that I was telling the truth. Yes, that day was a nightmare, but you atoned for it, and it did bring back my son. No one expected that. So in a way, you atoned already. I know Tori loves you, and I'm so glad you two have made amends. Over the decades, having you in our lives was indeed a wonderful thing. You brought laughter when none was to be had, comfort when one needed it the most, and support when one was weakest and had no legs left on which to stand. Please, if she lives, be Tori's pillar. She needs you. Those books should help._

_To Toriel, I leave her anything and everything she wants._

_I want you, should I unfortunately die first, to please try and forgive me. I tried my best, I know I did. If I left you, it was never my intention. If I did not, and you passed before me, you still passed with everything I am. You made me a real person, Tori. You watched me grow up. You cuffed my ears, kissed my lips, rubbed my nose with you own, and screamed at me when I was too foolish to listen. I know, if I left you, I left you with regret for breaking my promise, but also relieved you are still in the world without me. I think that would be my greatest comfort: to know that our children will have you to be there, and you, them. Tori, my love, my flame, I will wait for you. Wherever I go, I will always wait for you, however long it takes - and I do hope it's a long time, dearest. My love for you is eternal. My soul will always be in your hands, and I would want it nowhere else._

_For those unnamed, please discuss with Frisk what you would like, and, so long as it does not affect others, take it. I do not need it, and I would rather whatever it may be to bring joy to those who want it, rather than leave them to become dust, too._

_Thank you for this life, Frisk. You have given me everything back that I ever lost, and even more. Thank you for living, Asriel. You are the phoenix that this world needs._

_Toriel, thank you for believing in me, for never giving me up, and for always reminding me why I was better alive."_

  It closed with more legalese, before being dated and signed.


	19. Chapter 19

Toriel had listened to Frisk read the will. She'd heard in her daughter's voice the deep pain that she kept smothered in order to read it. A waver came to her voice several times, but she didn't pause in her reading, even when her eyes filled with tears. Asriel had his arms around her, and she rested her head against his shoulder as she read, but after, she lowered her head and wept silently.

Toriel, too, cried. She couldn't help it. The words Asgore had left her were soothing, a warm, blessed balm. But they also hurt, because she was still alive, and he was not. And he'd written as though, despite his promise, he'd always know that would be the case. And it hurt.

Asriel burst into loud, unrestrained tears at the end, hiding his face in Frisk's shoulder and holding her tightly to his chest.

Papyrus got up and went to the kitchen suddenly, muttering about tea, and he vanished into it. He did indeed make tea, and he made it well, but his hands shook, and his pain was naked.

sans held Toriel's hand between his own, feeling how cold it was. He rubbed it, hoping that he would be able to warm her, but room-temperature bones aren't exactly heat-filled, and it didn't work as well as he'd like.

When Papyrus came back with the tea, he hunched over, his head went into his gloved hands. "THIS IS FAR MORE PAINFUL THAN I EVER IMAGINED," he murmured.

Frisk looked up at him. "I'm sorry," she whispered, thinking that it was because of the will. Was he upset because he wasn't mentioned directly?

But of course it wasn't that. Papyrus wasn't like that, not exactly. Rather, it was the knowledge that Asgore had touched so many people, when he returned felt the most touched by all, that hit him, hard.

He'd always wanted admiration, adoration, and the like. He thought it meant being powerful and confident, posturing and cool, ready with quips, one-liners, and wry smiles.

But Asgore had shown him a completely different way: humility.

Asgore had done horrible things, things that broke his heart piece by peace, and it was only due to a small human girl that he was able to finally atone for those things. He'd made it his life's work to do so, the moment he'd stepped foot Aboveground.

Papyrus was struggling with that. He'd always lived that life of fake-it-til-you-make-it. Asgore had lived a day at a time, with wary hope, but a hope that never died.

He wanted to be like that, too.

"Oh, god, it fucking _hurts,"_ Asriel suddenly cried, burying his face into Frisk's back, now. "It hurts so much..."

Toriel looked up at him, her heart aching, and she got up and went to he and Frisk, sitting down beside them and pulling them both close. Frisk looked up at her and hesitated, but Asriel did not, and she then suddenly found herself sandwiched between them. When she felt Toriel start to cry, she broke down, too, and finally clung to her, too.

"he was such a good man," sans murmured, his eyes closed. "a dork, but a damned good person."

"Fuck!" Asriel sobbed out between sobs. His mind was racing with Asgore's words to him: to let go of that guilt, to remember that his father was truly thrilled to have his son back... It was a lot, things he'd been told before, but only now did they actually hit him.

And it did hurt.

"I know," Toriel agreed, kissing the top of his head. Crying made her tired easier, but she didn't care. Her children needed her right now, and she would be there for them.

Suddenly, her eyes went to sans, who was now staring at her with dim eyes. There was a plea, there, the same one as last night. This time, however, it was harder to ignore - not with Asriel and Frisk in her arms.

"I know," she repeated, closing her eyes. "But we will get through this together."

She was right. But only by half.

* * *

That morning, when Basket and Olceal arrived with Nickname, Alphys ran to greet them. However, to the surprise of everyone, she went to Nicky first.

She stood up on her tiptoes, took hold of Nicky's face, and stared right into her eyes, searching deeply. For as long as she'd known Nicky, she'd known about her asexuality. It was easy to see and understand, especially as she aged.

Alphys could still see it. Nicky was still asexual, yes. She always would be; having sex didn't automatically negate that.

But Alphys saw a light there, one she'd never seen before: romantic love.

Alphys also knew that Nicky was aromantic, as well. She'd once confessed to Alphys that she wanted to love Basket the way she deserved and hoped for, had tried to, but couldn't find it, didn't know how. She didn't want to string Basket along until she'd found it, either - if she ever did.

And it seemed she had.

Alphys stared at her, tears filling her eyes, and Nicky stared back, now in the same state. Alphys smiled at her, a smile so warm that it touched Nicky deeply.

"Welcome to the family," Alphys whispered, before hugging her tight - so tight Nicky coughed - but she also laughed and hugged back.

Basket and Olceal then joined in, making then both laugh-cry and hold onto them tight.

"Oh my god," Alphys sobbed. "I love you three so much. I'm so happy... I'm s-so..."

Undyne had finally caught up, Dandelion at her hip and fully dressed, and both were watching with identical expressions of confusion.

"Alphy?" Undyne said cautiously.

Alphys pulled away slowly, then looked over at her and grinned. "Bassy?" she offered.

Basket went scarlet. How could she explain it? They were still trying to figure it out, themselves.

Nicky spoke up, instead. "Auntie Undyne," she said calmly, her eyes bright and on Undyne's. "I love Bassy and Olly."

"I know that," Undyne replied, confused even more. "We all do."

"N-no, Mom," Basket broke in, grabbing Olceal's hand, before she grabbed Nicky's with the other. "Nicky and Olly and I... uh..."

"We're a triad," Nicky added helpfully.

Olceal beamed at her, nodding, and Basket grinned up at her.

When Nicky grinned back, Undyne then saw the same thing Alphys did, and she felt the blood rush to her face in one go. She grinned, so wide it hurt, and her eye filled with tears.

"Fucking finally," she replied tearfully.

"Mom!" Dandelion snapped. "Rude!" She then blinked up at Nicky. "What's a triad?"

"Us," Basket replied, going over and kissing the top of her head, before finding herself in a one-armed hug from Undyne. "Nicky and Olly and me."

"But what does that mean?" Dandelion wondered with a squeak, as she was squished between them, now.

Olceal went over. "It means that, like Bass and I are husband and wife, Nicky is now Bass's wife, and mine, too, uh, sorta." He looked up at Nicky and smiled shyly, and she giggled.

"I like that," she agreed. "They don't do that here, but we could have a civil ceremony Underground."

"We can?!" Basket cried, suddenly eager and excited for that.

Alphys nodded. "Triads are no big deal," she agreed.

"So," Dandelion said, her face scrunched up in thought. "You're married to Olly, who's married to you. But Nicky is married to you, and Olly is married to Nicky. So you're all married?"

"Soon," Nicky agreed, her cheeks pink with delight.

"Oh, okay," Dandelion replied, pragmatic as ever. "So I can call you sis?"

Nicky's smile vanished, her eyes flaring in shock. They filled, and she whispered, "Uh, y-yes... if-if you want to..."

"I do," Dandelion replied. "Can we eat, now?"

"We're gonna eat at New New Home, Lioness," Undyne replied softly. She looked up, her eye darting between her eldest daughter, her husband, and - now - her future wife. She smiled, her lips quivering, and she lowered her head and added, "Holy fucking shit."

Dandelion again scolded her, but at that point, they all suddenly came together into a huge hug, and Undyne's transgression was instantly forgiven.


	20. Chapter 20

"Hm, I don't think I get it, still."

Dandelion's voice was so sudden and startling that everyone immediately gave her their attention. Olceal was driving everyone to New New Home, where they would meet up - then split off again in different ways for the press conference. After that was Asgore's private funeral - his scattering - and everyone was thinking about it.

Except, apparently, Dandelion.

"Get what, Fluff?" Basket asked her gently, looking up from Olceal's shoulder. She sat in the front seat in the middle, with Nicky on her other side (it was an older car).

"How this triad thing works," she admitted, chewing on her claws.

"What don't you get?" Nicky wondered, her own head on Basket's shoulder.

"Cousin Nicky, you've never been with anyone before, right? Like the way Mummy and Mommy are?"

Nicky nodded. "Right. I never felt it. I tried, I wanted to, but I couldn't understand romantic love."

"But now you do? How? Why?"

"Dandy, don't be so nosy," Alphys said, looking embarrassed. "Sorry, Nicky, you don't have to answer."

"No, it's okay," Nicky replied, smiling. "I understand. It's confusing and weird, and very sudden. Honestly, I'm just as shocked as the rest of you..."

Basket looked at her, feeling nervous all of a sudden, but Nicky smiled at her, her eyes warm, and she relaxed, just a little.

"Yesterday," Nicky murmured, one hand idly rubbing one of Basket's knees. "Yesterday was... so long a day, wasn't it?"

"Honestly, it felt like it was years ago," Undyne agreed darkly.

"Exactly," Nicky agreed, smiling wider. "I felt like I aged a hundred years," she then went on, her smile vanishing. "And inside... inside... when I thought about Ehmpa, something broke in me. It felt like..." She sank her fangs into her lip for a moment, trying to word it properly, but once more, words escaped her, and she was left frustrated. "Dammit," she concluded softly.

Basket bit her lip. She didn't know what to say.

But then, Olceal surprise them all.

"It's like, suddenly, one day, you go to bed knowing that the world hates you, and that's a fact that you'll always live with. Only the very next day, something happens, and suddenly you realise you were utterly and completely wrong, and the world is full of love," he said softly, his eyes on the road, but wavering a bit. "You're taught to live a certain way, because you know no other way. You don't understand the other ways, but you don't mind, because the way you live isn't so bad. It's still nice and good. But then, out of no where, you suddenly find yourself _in that way,_ and you have no idea how you got there - just that, now that you are, you never, ever want to leave."

A silence fell, one that was stunned. Hearing so much from Olceal all at once was a shock to anyone but Basket, but even she was stunned by the subject matter.

Nicky stared at him. "Olly, that's it, exactly... how did you...? Olly, were you...?" she murmured.

Olceal shook his head. "No, not exactly." He smiled shyly, blinking hard. "It's how I feel about families. Or, rather, the family I had, versus the one I have, now." His eyes flicked to Nicky for a moment. "Including you, now, especially."

Basket kissed his cheek, her tail wagging, though she was still speechless. Nicky reached over and touched his shoulder briefly. He blushed, but kept driving.

"Olceal, damn," Undyne whispered, her eye wide. "I had no idea that was how you felt about us. I thought we just made you laugh!"

"No," Olceal answered firmly. "I love you. You're the best family I've ever had. And Mom loves you all, too. I couldn't ask for better people in my... in my life..." His voice cracked, and he coughed, trailing off and blinking hard again. (Basket whispered gently in his ear, and he smiled shyly but nodded.)

Alphys smiled at him through the rearview mirror. "Olceal, I'm so glad you're my son."

"And mine!" Undyne added.

Dandelion's face was scrunched up again, though. "I still don't get it!" she cried, looking furious.

"You will," Basket promised. "When you need to."

* * *

When they got to New New Home, they found an odd scene: Frisk was hunched over a tablet, Asriel paced in front of her, sans watched TV, and Toriel was sipping some tea, her eyes dark.

The moment he saw her, sans got up and went to Nickname. She blinked, and silently, he grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hall and into her father's old room. Her eyes went to Basket briefly in panic before sans shut the door behind them.

He sat her down on the bed, stood in front of her, and eyed her for a moment. She blushed deeply, looking down at her feet and noticing that her claws needed trimming.

He then surprised her: he started to laugh. Hard.

She looked up in shock to find him hunched over, his hands on his knees, laughing so hard he gasped in between.

When he could, sans gasped out, "finally, nick. i _never_ thought that you'd get to this."

"Uncle, I'm exhausted," she growled, her face burning. She rested her chin on her palm and glared at the wall, refusing to look at him. "Get to the point and let's go back, before they think you're murdering me."

sans stopped laughing and glared at her for that, his eyes dimmed. She looked back at him casually, and he rolled his eyes and sighed. He walked over and sat down beside her, and their eyes locked.

He then reached over and patted her shoulder gently, and she felt herself relax a little.

"do you love her? for real?" he asked her.

Nicky's eyes closed. "Does love feel like there's nothing I want to do without her? Like I want to solve all of her woes with kisses and words of devotion? To already be so devoted, to have been all this time, without even realising it? That when she smiles..." And Nicky smiled, her eyes still shut. "When she smiles, the world is mine?"

She heard sans inhale sharply, before she felt him take her hand. She opened her eyes and looked at him, and he smiled, nodding at her. "yeah," he agreed.

"Then I love her with everything I am," Nicky replied firmly, her eyes glowing.

Her uncle hugged her, then, nodding, before he murmured, "finally."

She growled. "Why does everyone keep saying that?!"

But he only laughed in reply, giving her head a pat. "i knew you'd go deep-sea diving one day, nick," was his answer.

She managed to push him away before he burst into more laughter and promptly fell on the floor - and bringing to her a burst of her own.

When they returned, Nickname looked around to make sure she had everyone's attention in some way, before she went up to Basket, took hold of her face, and kissed her lips gently. Basket's eyes wavered, then closed, before she returned it, moving closer and holding onto her tight.

There was silence for a moment, broken only by the TV, before Asriel stopped pacing abruptly, to suddenly shout, "Wait, what the fuck?! Nickname Dreemurr! What are you doing?! _Stop that!"_

And he blushed, bright red, his eyes blazing.

Frisk stared at him and laughed in surprise: he looked and sounded exactly like Asgore in that moment.

Toriel saw it, too, and she smiled.

But her eyes were full of tears.

Frisk got up and pulled Nicky to her, then had her sit down with herself and Asriel. She looked to Toriel and waved her over, but Toriel smiled and shook her head. She held up her mug of tea, but the truth was simply that she was too weak to get up right then; if she did, they would see it, and she didn't want that.

As Nicky explained things to her parents (and Dandelion, again, who sat close by to eavesdrop in hopes of learning more), Undyne and Alphys sat on the other couch with Basket and Olceal. All four gazed at the TV, each with a similar expression on their faces: unhappy anticipation.

No one wanted to do this. But they knew they had to. And that was perhaps one of the worst things about being in public: having to share that private grief.

The scattering would be private; Frisk made sure of that. But she also knew that, once they could, a great deal of people would come by. And she already felt exhausted.

Weeks later, she'd look back on this day, and yearn for it.


	21. Chapter 21

Toriel watched her daughter with glowing pride.

She sat on the couch in a wonderful cuddle of her - always, she thought of them as this - grandchildren. Nicky sat on her right side, hugging her arm to her. On her left was Basket, hugging her other arm. Olceal sat on Nicky's other side, hugging her, while his hand remained on Toriel's arm. In her lap was Dandelion, curled up in as small a ball as possible against her. Together, they listened and watched Frisk make her speech.

With Frisk was everyone else; she was flanked by Undyne and sans, while Asriel stood behind her, holding her shoulders. Beside Undyne was Alphys, holding one of her hands tight, and beside sans was Papyrus, who stood close to his brother. They, too, watched Frisk as she spoke.

"Thank you for coming," she began, her voice soft. "I regret the circumstances that have brought us here, but they are no less true." Her eyes wavered. "Yesterday morning, my father passed away. It was peaceful, and he was with my mother. It was a good passing."

Her voice caught, and she paused, closing her eyes. Asriel kissed the top of her head gently, squeezing her shoulders, and she took a breath before going on.

"He will be scattered to rest today, in a private ceremony. I know a great deal of you want to come, to say goodbye, but this is a private family matter. We ask for privacy right now."

Again she paused, her eyes filling with tears, and she swallowed hard.

"Mami..." Nicky whispered, her own eyes full.

"My father was... Papi was... he was a complicated man, yes," Frisk went on, her voice stronger. "But he was full of love. He made horrible mistakes, committed horrible crimes, but he paid dearly for them, and spent his entire life here making amends."

Her voice broke. "He was an amazing father," she went on, her words choked by tears. "He loved me, despite being human, despite the way we met. He treated me as his own, and I... I... I'll never be able to repay that. He gave me a family, one I'd never known to exist..."

She laughed softly. "He always said that I was the one who rescued him, who freed him. But he rescued and freed me, too. And he never asked for anything, as long as I was happy. And I was. I was so... so happy..."

She suddenly sobbed, leaned down, and hid her face with her hair, shaking. Asriel gently took hold of her shoulders and pulled her to his side, before he stepped forward and took her place.

Toriel's eyes widened in surprise. He was openly weeping, but his eyes were blazing, determined. When he spoke, his voice was thick, but it was strong and clear.

"When I came back, it could have been chaos," Asriel began. "But Dad... he just took me in with no questions asked. He and Mom, and of course Frisk, accepted me so easily, so readily, and..." He smiled sadly. "I know I didn't deserve it. But Dad never made me feel that way. He made me feel like I actually earned it."

"You did," Frisk murmured softly, touching his cheek.

Asriel closed his eyes for a moment, biting down on his lip.

"Oh, my boy," Toriel whispered. "I'm so proud of you..."

And she was. Asriel was in so much pain himself, but when he saw Frisk fading from her own, he swooped right in and took her place with no hesitation. His voice was strong, and everything he said was from the heart.

She was so proud of her children. Seeing them like this, she knew. She knew they would be okay. She knew they would be strong.

And something in her finally relaxed. She closed her eyes, and she felt that something loosen its hold on her, and she finally felt comforted - and confident in what she was doing.

She knew, now, that they would thrive.

"Maybe," Asriel murmured to Frisk, then, his eyes opening. "Maybe. But he and Mom... and you... you just... took me in. You could have rejected me, especially you, Frisk, for what I'd done. But you, and Dad and Mom, just... you just..."

Finally, his control snapped, and he broke down. Frisk grabbed him and held him close, breaking down, herself.

Undyne bit her lip, looking to Alphys in panic. Toriel watched this with intense interest - especially when Alphys's eyes glinted and she nodded. She stepped forward and lowered the microphone, then spoke.

"As-as you can see," Alphys stammered, "we-we need time. We need time to mourn. As-Asgore was... he was like... a pillar, for not just us, but every monster, r-really. He-he stood for hope, for the-for the future, for _us_... humans and monsters, together..." She smiled sadly, her own tears rolling down her cheeks. "To-to lose him, even now, so long after the barrier fell... It still hurts us deeply."

She swallowed, taking a breath, and Undyne squeezed her hand. "S-so we do need time," she admitted. "Clearly. We have no problem answering questions, but, please... give us time. We-we need to mourn. Deeply."

Frisk reached out and touched her shoulder briefly, and she nodded. "Th-thank you for coming. We-We're sorry we're so sad before you, but..." Her smile vanished. "It hurts."

She paused, then whispered. "No questions, please. Thank you," before she moved back and went to Frisk and Asriel.

Toriel's heart was racing, her eyes wide. A politician she vaguely knew addressed the crowd as the others left, but Toriel didn't listen. She leaned back and closed her eyes, her mind racing as fast as her heart.

She was right. She'd been right to assume what she had about Alphys, and was glad to be right, and to have such definitive proof of it.

"Ehmma?" Nicky murmured, hugging her arm tighter. "Are you alright?"

Toriel opened her eyes and smiled at her. "Yes, my dear," she agreed - and honestly. "I'm alright."

Dandelion snuggled closer, sniffling, and Toriel held her closer. Around her, her grandchildren cuddled closer, and together, they shared a little weep.

* * *

"I screwed it up," Frisk sobbed into Asriel's chest. "I screwed it all up. There was more I needed to say!"

"No, love, you did it perfectly," Asriel murmured, kissing her cheek. "It was perfect."

"Thanks to you, my love," she answered, her voice breaking. "And Alphys, thank you, too."

Alphys nodded. "Of course, Frisk," she said softly. "We're a family. We're in this together."

 _"Fuck,"_ Undyne suddenly sobbed, grabbing hold of her wife and bursting into tears. Alphys stumbled a bit but held her up, crying, now, herself.

"Alphy, I love you," Undyne whispered to her, then, between sobs. "I love you so much, Alphy..."

Alphys kissed her gently. "I love you," she replied, her own voice choked. "So much, Undyne."

"YOU DID WONDERFULLY," Papyrus added, then, smiling gently. "ALL OF YOU. THE FACT THAT YOU SHARED IT..." He trailed off, coughing a little.

He didn't need to elaborate, though: they understood.


	22. Chapter 22

When they came back, they noticed the change in Toriel. She was smiling more, and there was a lightness in her steps that hadn't been there before. And when she hugged and kissed them all, she did it with a warm, genuine smile.

She cupped Frisk's face between her hands and looked at her. Frisk met her gaze and bit her lip, before she murmured. "I'm sorry. I didn't say all I should have said."

Toriel shook her head and kissed her forehead. "You did wonderfully, and anything unsaid can be said at the funeral."

Then, surprising them, she stood up straight and said, "Are we ready? There are several places we need to go to." She paused, looking everyone over. "Certainly, all of you are welcome, but if you would rather not, I understand."

Immediately, everyone had stood up and were getting their coats on. In between the end of the conference and now, they'd changed into their mourning clothes (even Dandelion, who looked upset wearing a dark grey dress; she hated grey, and hated what it stood for).

Toriel smiled and nodded; she, too, wore her mourning clothes, and in a bag hung across her chest was the dish of Asgore's dust.

"Alright," she said, nodding. "Let's bring my Gorey to rest."

They followed her, surprised and happy to have her back, as it truly seemed like she was bouncing back, at last.

Only sans understood the real source for the light in her eyes, and he loathed it.

It was calm, inner peace, the kind that comes when one is finally ready to die.

* * *

Toriel admitted that the dust she wanted to keep was the dust she'd collected from Asgore's blanket. The rest could be scattered freely. Therefore, their first stop was Underground.

They started at New Home, going right to the gardens. When Toriel held the dish, she surprised everyone and said, "Frisk? Will you scatter them?"

"Me?" she echoed. "Why?"

"Because you were the one that freed him from this garden," Toriel replied, smiling. "I know he'd want you to."

Frisk swallowed, then nodded, taking a handful of dust gently. She walked a bit away from the others, going close to the - now two - thrones sitting amidst the ocean of yellow flowers.

"Papi," she whispered. "Here's the garden, the only place you could be touched by the sun while still Underground." She inhaled, then exhaled shakily, before she slowly turned into a figure eight around the thrones, letting the dust fall from her hand. At the same time, she murmured, "Birth to dust, dust to birth; past pain for future mirth."

When she was finished, her hand was empty, and she gently cleaned it on the seat of Asgore's throne.

Asriel hugged her, then, kissing her gently, and she clung to him for a moment, trembling. When she was collected, they went on.

* * *

They scattered some at the Blook Farm, as well as some at Undyne's old home. Undyne did both, crying the whole time.

At the Blook Farm, she said, "You dumb dork, here are your stupid snails," between soft, shaky laughs.

At her house, though, she was more sombre. "You gave me some of my best memories, here, Dad," she murmured. "So I hope you can relive them and enjoy them, like I did." She smiled. "Have lots of hot chocolate, okay?"

She then broke down, sobbing out the traditional words, before going to Alphys and clinging to her.

It took a long time to calm her down.

* * *

Then, they went to the Ruins.

Asriel was shivering, clinging to Frisk so hard it hurt her arm. He hated the Ruins, despite knowing that Toriel's love for the place had never faded. But for him, it was like returning to the scene of a murder, and he hated the place.

Well, save the actual house. He loved the house. He always would.

Toriel knew this, and therefore she suggested that he be the one to scatter Asgore's ashes around the home. He stared at her, then nodded, adding, "With... with Frisk?"

She nodded, talking his shaking hand into his.

Together, they held the dish between them and scattered most of the remaining dust. They did it in silence, unsure of what to say, though their thoughts were all over the place. When they were done, including murmured the traditional phrase, they were both crying.

Toriel then took the dish, set it aside, and sat everyone down for some tea, before they went back to the surface. It was spent in quiet reflection, everyone offering up a small story or a favourite memory. There were some small laughs, lots of tears, and a great deal of hugs and kisses.

When they were ready, they went back to the surface.

* * *

Nickname scattered the dust in the garden of New New Home.

"Ehmpa," she murmured as she did, her tears falling freely. "Thank you for everything. I love you, so much."

She felt the breeze touch her face as she walked, smelt the gentle perfume of the flowers she crushed beneath her feet, and felt soothed.

When she was done, Basket went to her and kissed her lips gently, and she felt deep, warm love.

Inside, she was calm.

* * *

The graveyard was quiet, thankfully. No one seemed to know where they would go, and thus they avoided any media or eavesdroppers.

They stood in a horseshoe around the four graves, Toriel holding the dish in her hands in the very middle. She stepped forward and closed her eyes, then opened them and went to Chara's grave. She knelt down and turned the dish upside-down, letting the remaining dust fall into the grass in front of the gravestone.

"Here you are, my husband," she murmured softly. "With our first daughter. Take care of her well, and enjoy yourselves."

She smiled, then, lowering her head and closing her eyes. She whispered, so softly that no one, not even Asriel, heard: "I'll be with both of you, soon. Please, wait for me, and give me a wonderful welcome."

She raised her head and touched the gravestone gently, her fingers tracing Chara's name. "I love you," she murmured, before adding the phrase.

She left the dish upon the grave, before she stood up slowly, feeling dizzy and light-headed. When she could, she opened her eyes - and her arms.

They held each other close, holding Toriel to them as though she were their nucleus, their heart. Truly, now, without Asgore, it felt that way. At least they still had her, they thought.


	23. Chapter 23

Frisk, Asriel, Papyrus, and sans were still staying with Toriel at New New Home when it happened, a few days later: they heard a soft cry, followed by something breaking and a soft, heavy thud.

Frisk was on her feet and in the kitchen before anyone else, and the moment she got to Toriel's side and held her close, she felt a wave of foreboding fill her.

Absently, seconds later, she heard her phone chime.

"Mami?" she called, touching Toriel's cheek gently. Toriel's eyelids flickered, and she nodded, but she didn't move, and Frisk could feel her shaking.

She didn't understand it. The fast few days had seemed to be fine. Toriel had been acting almost normally, save moments of deep sadness and pain, and moments she'd spend away from them. She didn't understand what brought this on.

She'd never noticed, in her distraction over her father's death, that her mother had stopped eating the moment he was dust.

"Mami!" she cried, tapping her cheek. "Mami, what's wrong? What happened?!"

Toriel reached up and touched her cheek gently, her fingers shaking. "Frisk," she whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?!" Frisk cried. "Asriel! _Asriel!"_ Her voice cracked.

Asriel was there second after the first shout, and at her side at once. "Mom? What's wrong? Can you open your eyes?" His voice was calm, but his eyes shone with panic, his lips quivering slightly.

She did, and both of her children stared at her, feeling the same terror: they were ringed with dark grey.

"My boy," she whispered. "Oh, my boy."

"Get her to the bedroom."

They looked up, startled, to find Sans standing in the doorway, his eyes empty and his expression grim. Wordlessly, Asriel nodded and picked his mother up carefully, feeling a jab of fear when he realised how easy it was. Frisk got up right after, and together, following Sans, they brought her to her bedroom.

Gently, Asriel placed Toriel under the covers and on her side of the bed, and she shakily reached to the side and grabbed the blanket-pillowcase, hugging it to her chest tight, her eyes closed.

"Mami," Frisk whispered, kneeling down beside the bed, like she had only a week - perhaps less - ago. "Mami?" She touched Toriel's arm, feeling how cold it was, and she stared at her mother, her breaths catching in fear.

"Asriel," Sans said suddenly, his voice sharp. "Call Nickname. Bring her here, now. Actually, forget it." Before Asriel could say a word, Sans left the room and vanished. Moments later, he returned holding Nicky's hand.

What he hadn't noticed was that her other hand still held Basket's.

"Shit," Sans sighed. "Basket, take my hand--,"

"No!" Nicky snapped, shoving his hand away and pulling Basket to her. Basket looked confused, her eyes wide and her face pale, until her eyes fell on Toriel - and she froze, her vision blurring with tears.

"Nicky," she whispered, and Nicky turned - and lunged forward, going to Toriel and sitting down on the bed beside her, hugging onto her tight.

"Ehmma, no!" she sobbed, shaking her head. Toriel reached up and touched her cheek lightly, and when their eyes met, Nicky saw the grey and sobbed. Toriel shushed her, gently, brushing the tears away.

"It's alright," she murmured, her eyes moving around the room. By then, Papyrus had caught up and was holding Sans by his shoulders, his expression so sad that it was painful to see.

"Mom," Asriel whispered, "what's happening?"

"I'm falling down, love," she answered softly, her eyes now on him. "It's alright."

"Mami, no!" Frisk sobbed, surprising her family. "Mami, please, no! Please, I can't... I _can't!"_

"You absolutely can, Frisk Dreemurr," Toriel answered, her voice suddenly sharp. Her hand moved from Nicky's cheek to hers, and held tight. "You can and you will, or else I raised you poorly."

"Mami..." Frisk sobbed, grabbing her hand and holding it to her cheek.

"Frisk," Toriel answered. "Listen to me, Frisk: I changed my will."

Frisk looked up at her in surprise. "Wh-what? Why?"

Her mother smiled, her face already so pale. "Things change, my girl, and my will needed changing to go along with it."

Her eyes went past her children. "Sans, come here."

"No," he answered, his voice low with fury. "I won't."

"Please?" she insisted, her eyes wavering. "Please, Sans. Don't let us part in anger. Forgive me."

Nicky's eyes narrowed, then, flicking between her uncle and her grandmother. She then touched Toriel's neck, before moving her hand down and taking hold of her wrist, pulling the sleeve up to look at her arm. Nicky's eyes filled, then; Toriel's arm was thin and almost reed-like, the fur patchy in some places.

"Uncle Sans," Nickname then said, her voice soft. "Did you know?"

Sans hesitated. "Yes."

Nicky then threw herself off of the bed with a shout, her hands out and clawed and her fangs bared. Papyrus grabbed her right away, holding her by the shoulders, before he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back. She screamed at Sans, trying to reach him to claw at his face, his body, whatever it took, to hurt him, to see him bleed...

"Nickname!" Asriel cried, shocked. Frisk was stunned as well, and both were paralysed by their daughter's rage.

Basket, however, ran forward and went to Nicky and Papyrus, moving close enough to duck under Nicky's arms and take hold of her face. Nicky jerked away a few times, snarling at Sans, but Basket kept coming back, and soon, she had her attention.

"Nicky," Basket murmured, rubbing her wet cheeks gently. "Calm down. Calm down."

"He knew," she answered, before trying to throw herself at Sans again."You knew! _You knew and did nothing!!"_

"I am to blame for that, not him, Nickname," Toriel answered, her own voice sharp - though it was also soft. "I am a grown woman, and I knew what I was doing would kill me. He begged me to stop, and I ignored him."

Now, Frisk and Asriel stared at Toriel. "Mom, what are you talking about?" Asriel asked, shaking.

Nicky then sobbed, pulling herself free from Papyrus to throw herself not at Sans, but Basket, who caught her quickly and held her close. Nicky dropped down to the floor in a heap, and Basket held her, holding her up and to her chest, rocking her gently.

"Ehmma, how could you?" she sobbed out. "How could you? _How could you do this to us?!_

"My dear child," Toriel replied gently. "This was inevitable. I'm impatient, and I know, especially now, that you will be alright. If anything, I've overstayed my welcome..." Her voice trailed off, suddenly feeling out of breath, and she leaned back and closed her eyes, trying to catch it back.

 _"What happened?!"_ Asriel suddenly shouted, making everyone wince.

"Toriel starved herself," Sans answered flatly. "This was intentional. She wants to die. So now she is."

Silence, then, save the sound of Nicky's sobs, and Basket's soothing murmurs.

Frisk then got up, sat down beside Toriel, and curled up into her side like a child, burying her face into her mother's shoulder. She grabbed hold of her arm and hugged it tight, crying against it and feeling how thin it was - and how blind she'd been.

Asriel moved up beside her, curling up halfway onto Toriel's legs, and she smiled sadly, reaching down and touching this head gently, stroking his hair and ears. He sobbed and buried his face into her knees.

"I changed the will, Frisk," Toriel murmured, leaning down and kissing the top of her head, and Frisk sobbed. "It's in my phone. It's legal. Please, don't forget."

"I won't, Mami," Frisk promised brokenly.

"Sans."

Finally, Sans went to her side and stood in front of her. She smiled at him, moving her hand from Asriel's head to Sans's cheek, and he closed his eyes and shuddered, his expression shattering into deep grief.

"Thank you, sans," she murmured, as he opened his eyes to reveal that the pinpoints had returned - but were very dim.

"tori..." he murmured. He shivered again, then said, his voice hoarse, "knock 'em dead."

Toriel's eyes lit up, and she laughed softly, her voice breaking and trailing into coughs at the end. Her hand dropped, and Frisk grabbed it and gently placed it back with her other. Toriel smiled at her gratefully.

Papyrus hung back. He was unsure of what to do, and truly, he felt out of place. But he didn't want to leave sans alone, either - or any of them, really.

"Love," Basket whispered to Nicky. The word sent shivers down Nicky's spine and got her attention. "I th-think... I think it-it's time y-you... s-said... g-goodbye..."

Nicky looked at her gratefully, leaning close and rubbing her cheek against Basket's for a moment, before nodding.

Basket helped her to her feet, and she didn't look at sans, still angry. Instead, she moved to the other side of the bed (with Basket; she didn't let go of her hand) and sat down, curling up just like her mother had.

Basket stayed standing, but she looked at Toriel with full eyes, biting down on her lip hard.

"Ah," Toriel whispered, closing her eyes and smiling. "I feel so warm, so loved. I truly feel blessed."

"Mami..." Frisk whispered. "Mami, I love you so much. Thank you for everything, for _everything..."_

Toriel laughed briefly. "Oh, my girl, I thank you, for this life - this beautiful, sweet life."

Asriel looked up at her, and she smiled at him. "And you, my boy, thank you for _living."_

His eyes closed, and he sobbed, but he nodded. "Mommy," he choked out, "I love you so much... I'm so sorry..."

"For what?" she wondered, noticing that things looked a little dim around the edges. "You are alive. You made my life whole."

She turned to Nicky and Basket. Nickname raised her head and rested her cheek against Toriel's, and Toriel kissed her gently.

"Nickname," she whispered. "My miracle, my beauty. I'm so glad I got to see you in love, and loved in return. I'll tell your ehmpa all about it. I promise." Her eyes shifted to Basket, who blinked. "Take good care of her, do you hear me, Bassy?"

"I will," Basket agreed, her eyes glinting.

Nicky then closed her eyes and nodded. "Thank you, Ehmma," she murmured. "I love you."

"I know you love me, my dears," Toriel replied, leaning back and relaxing, her arms around the pillowcase, now. "And I hope... you know how... how much I... love you..."

She smiled, then sighed deeply - and let go.

Her breath exhaled out of her slowly, and with it, her body seemed to shimmer - then fade. Before their eyes, she fell, almost gracefully, and faded into dust.

Her soul hovered dimly over it, just for a moment, and Frisk reached out. "Mami," she whispered, cupping her hands around it gently. "Hug him for me."

Toriel's soul flickered, just a little, before it shuddered - then shattered, its shards falling into the dust below.


	24. Chapter 24

From there, it was like a fever-dream.

Frisk remembered little, and honestly, afterwards, she would be glad.

She remembered staring at the fading shards of Toriel's soul, her breaths catching and her vision darkening. She remembered trying to blink it away, and the moment she shut her eyes, it went completely black.

Asriel caught her quickly, yelping in panic. He pulled her close and touched her neck, then leaned close and listened: she was breathing, and her heart still beat, albeit quickly. Asriel held her close and buried his head into her hair, bursting into tears.

Nicky moved to his side and hugged onto him, also breaking down, and beside her, Basket hugged onto her gently.

sans dropped, hard, to the floor, as though punched. Papyrus knelt down beside him, but to his surprise, sans shoved him away with a furious shout, startling and confusing him into staying close, but not touching his brother.

No one said anything, save Basket, who was whispering soft things to Nicky: "I'm here, you're not alone, I love you, I'm sorry..."

Nicky couldn't speak, could barely breathe or see, and could barely feel Asriel or Basket holding her. She felt shattered inside, barely alive, and that it was her own dust beside her, not her grandmother's.

Asriel honestly felt similar, his eyes frozen on his mother's dust. He held Frisk close, wishing he, too, could pass out, just so that he would stop hurting so much...

Then, Nickname pulled away, got to her feet, and left the room. Basket hesitated, her hands held up, but Nicky returned a moment later - holding up another pie dish. She sat back down, looked up at Asriel, and he nodded.

Gently, he shook Frisk, leaning over her and listening again, before he called for her. After a heart-stuttering moment, Frisk stirred, shaking her head, before she uttered a soft, agonised cry. She wouldn't remember this until much, much later.

"My love," he whispered, and she nodded. "Can... can you help us?"

She looked up, her eyes dim and full, before her eyes fell on Nicky, and she nodded slowly.

Silently, the three gently took handfuls of Toriel's dust and gently poured it into the dish. After a moment of silent tears, they heard sans get up and join them, his eyes dim and his face pained.

When only a small bit was left, they stopped, and Nicky covered the dish, holding it to her chest for a moment, before she gave it to her mother.

Frisk, however, shrank back and shook her head, instead moving away and curling up on the bed, right beside where Toriel had been. She gathered up the blanket and pulled it to her, careful not to disturb the dust but close enough to smell Toriel's remaining scent.

Asriel touched her knee, but she jerked away, curling up into as small a ball as possible, burying her face into the blanket. Then, despite it being muffled, she keened out, the sound so painful that everyone else winced.

She wouldn't move for a long, long time.

* * *

Frisk wouldn't move, hours later. Therefore, it was Asriel who made the calls - one of the hardest things he'd ever done in his life.

Nicky stayed with Frisk, while Basket stayed with her. Basket honestly didn't know what else to do, so she stayed on the floor beside her, resting her head against the bed and keeping a hand on her back, rubbing there gently.

Nicky kept close to her mother, spooning her gently and stroking her hair slowly, trying to get her to come back - but she wouldn't. She kept her face hidden, stayed as curled up as possible, and wouldn't stop weeping.

"Mami," Nicky tried again; she tried at least once every half-hour, hoping it would be the time that Frisk would come back.

But instead, Frisk shook her head and gasped out a choked sob. She tried to move away from Nicky, but Nicky held her, and she gave up weakly.

"Mami, please," Nicky whispered, burying her face into her mother's back and shutting her eyes. "Mami, _tolong, kami membutuhkanmu... tolong?"_

This had happened once before, after Carlson was incarcerated. Frisk had been traumatised by her own actions, and had completely gone inward, not eating, barely sleeping, and not responding to anyone save the bare minimum.

Now, it was worse. Frisk wouldn't even move, wouldn't even speak.

She was broken, completely broken. The fact that she was, once again, an orphan, had shattered her.

"Mami, _tolong,"_ Nicky begged again, reaching up and shaking Frisk by her shoulders. "Mami, _tolong!"_

Her voice broke, and Basket raised her head, a pang hitting her hard. She reached up and touched Nicky's shoulder. "Nicky," she murmured, "I think... I think we need to l-leave her alone r-right now...?"

Nickname, for a moment, ignored her, gritting her teeth and burying her face closer into Frisk's back. When she felt Basket rub her back, still, she opened her eyes slowly and nodded, sniffling.

"Mami," Nicky whispered to her, "I'm gonna go right now. _Saya akan kembali, oke?"_

Frisk didn't answer. When Nickname sat up, she curled up tighter, but said nothing.

Basket, the moment Nicky was standing, stood up beside her and hugged her tight. Nicky clung to her and sobbed, hard. Basket held her up and closed her eyes, kissing her forehead and the top of her head - between her horns - several times.

Then, slowly, she let Basket lead her out of the room. They left the door slightly ajar, but other than that, they left Frisk alone.

Once alone, in the dark, Frisk sobbed - until her vision went dark, too - and she was glad for it.


	25. Chapter 25

That night, Asriel went into his parents' room, and without turning on the lights, he walked to the bed and lay down behind his wife, moving close and wrapping his arms around her.

She stirred, started to move away, then stopped, realising quite suddenly that whatever haze had engulfed her had lifted, and without her even realising it.

"Asriel," she whispered.

He nodded, kissing the back of her head gently. "Hey," he murmured. "Is this okay?"

"Y-yeah," Frisk agreed, shifting back against him while keeping her hands on the blanket - and the pillowcase with Asgore's blanket in it, too.

"Frisk," he repeated, and she nodded. "Are... are you back...?"

"Yeah," Frisk repeated, her voice cracking.

Then, she added, "I don't wanna be, though."

Asriel bit his lip, then closed his eyes and pulled her closer. She whimpered, turning around and grabbing onto him, and together, in their old - and now new - home, in their parents' room, they wept for the parents they'd now lost.

* * *

"What do we do?" Nicky asked softly, her eyes closed and her chin in her hand, the other hand curved around her tea.

"Wait it out," Basket murmured. By now, her mothers and sister knew, and they decided to give them space for now, once they'd heard how Frisk was taking it. Olceal was on his way over, with supper, either to stay with them or to bring Nicky back to the apartment.

Papyrus and sans had left, not long after Frisk stopped moving; sans was almost catatonic in his grief, and Papyrus had to practically carry him home. It had been horrible to see.

"Bassy," Nicky murmured, and Basket nodded, smiling faintly. "Do me a favour?"

"Okay," she agreed easily.

"Outlive me."

Basket blinked in surprise. "Uh-what?"

Nicky opened her eyes and lowered her hand, turning to Basket and grabbing her free hand between both of her own. "Outlive me," she repeated, staring into Basket's eyes.

Basket bit her lip, shaking her head.

Nicky stared at her, stunned, so she explained.

"I can't promise that," she admitted. "I want to. I want to make you happy. But, as much as I'd like to, I can't promise it."

Nicky lowered her head, nodding. Of course she couldn't. And truly, if she had, and then broke it, it would only hurt Nicky more.

"But I'll try," Basket murmured. "I'll try my best. You're older than me, after all."

Nicky laughed, catching them both off-guard, and Nicky raised her head, smiling at Basket. Basket stared at her, that smile making her feel like she were melting everywhere.

"Bassy, I love you," she admitted, smiling at her fondly. "You always make me laugh, whenever I need it. Thank you."

Basket felt her face burn, and she swallowed hard before she could reply. "Of c-course," she stammered. "I-I just... I w-want you to be h-happy... that's all, r-really."

Nicky leaned forward and touched her nose to Basket's, closing her eyes.

"I am," she admitted.

And it was true. Despite the sorrow she felt in her heart, the agony whenever she allowed the loss of her grandparents to fall back into her mind, whenever she was with Basket and Olceal - but especially Basket - she felt truly happy, truly comforted, and it was a wonderful feeling.

"Good," Basket whispered, her own eyes closing. She reached up and touched Nicky's cheek gently, and this time, they both smiled.

"I'm glad you didn't let go of my hand," Nicky murmured, her eyes fluttering closed.

"I am, too, but fuck, Nicky!" Basket snorted out a laugh, followed by a mock-shudder. "What the fuck was all of that?!"

"I dunno," Nicky admitted. "I've only seen it once before then, and I didn't get it then, either."

She paused, thoughtful, and Basket waited, enjoying the fact that Nicky's expressions changed with every thought. It was very endearing, and she didn't want to spoil it.

Nickname was trying to remember what she saw, really. When it happened four years ago, she also remembered little of it then, too. Maybe there was something in sans's magic that made sure that she wouldn't remember...

"What do you remember seeing?" Nicky asked, her eyes opening and locking on Basket's.

Basket thought for a moment, chewing her lip and fluffling up her hair absently. "Er, well," she began - only to suddenly blank. "Wait. I remember... time. I think? I remember seeing lots of..." She made a face. "Different whens?"

Nicky nodded. "Yeah, that's a good way to put it," she agreed. "Different whens. Like, remember one of them, when Mami was killed as a child?"

Basket suddenly shuddered, closing her eyes. "Yeah... I... I-I saw Mom..."

Nicky blinked, suddenly interested. She hadn't seen Undyne, but rather, had seen Toriel kill Frisk... and then completely shatter from it...

"She was like..." Basket went on, her expression sombre. "Like wh-when... when Mummy got shot... and-and she'd just... become something not her, but also completely her. And..." Her eyes opened, their colour dark. "And Mom was the one who killed Frisk..."

Nicky stared at her. "If that had happened..."

Basket nodded. "Neither of us would be alive. We'd break the barrier, sure, but... it would be war."

Nicky did not like that at all. "Holy crap," she murmured, shivering. Basket shifted closer and hugged her, rubbing her back to keep her warm, and Nicky smiled, closing her eyes and relaxing.

"Maybe not," Basket suddenly said. "Maybe she didn't cause war. Maybe... maybe... she still hoped for peace, even after all of that...?"

It was a nice idea, certainly. But it seemed the polar opposite to what Basket had seen:

_Undyne, grabbing hold of Frisk's knife and turning it on herself, stabbing her, first, before she'd been impaled on all sides by Undyne's spears..._

_Undyne, grabbing the soul and smiling, before moving to walk away..._

_Then... a phone ringing... and Undyne hesitating, fumbling for it, still holding the soul..._

It was all Basket could remember, and oddly, she felt as if those memories were fading, too.

"Fuck," she growled. "I'm losing it. Did you lose it, too?"

Nicky nodded. "But we told each other, so we won't forget," she added.

Basket smiled at that, her heart suddenly skipping. It was true: they'd never forget between them, and if they both told Olceal, it was even better.

She blinked; it was so easy, she noticed, to include Nicky and Olceal in her plans, now. It had barely been a week, and yet it seemed like second-nature, like it had always been like this.

In some ways, it was true: she'd always told Nicky and Olceal everything, and they in turn told her the very same. The only recent addition was Nicky actually staying with them - she'd been staying in Dandelion's room the whole time - and that was a bonus.

Basket blinked again, a thought occurring to her. "Nicky... uhm..." She hesitated, blushing. This was hardly appropriate, really, but at the same time, she couldn't stop herself.

Nicky caught it and took her hand, looking concerned. It was no different than how she'd always reacted, true, but the way her eyes softened and met Basket's was. Instead of the usual tenderness and familial love, there was tenderness and... deep love. Deeper than Basket could ever fathom _anyone_ feeling for her, let alone Nicky.

"Fuck," she whispered, without realising that she sounded exactly like Undyne when she did.

But Nicky did, and she smiled, pulling Basket's hand up and kissing her palm gently.

Basket blushed, then blurted it out: "Nicky, you should just move in with us."

Nicky blushed, too, her eyes going wide - and her smile wider. She nodded quickly, then kissed Basket's palm again, speechless.

Basket stared at her, her eyes filling with tears, and Nicky grabbed her and hugged her tight - bursting into those tears at the exact same time as Basket.

It was how Olceal found them; he let himself in with a quiet greeting, and found both his wife and her girlfriend crying. He bit his lip, setting the food down, before he went over and hugged them both. Immediately, they slid an arm around him, each, and pulled him close, and soon, he found himself crying, too.

Only to cry even harder when Basket told him the reason they were crying to begin with. Granted, he also laughed, but the tears won, and he sat down with them and kept them both to him through it all.


	26. Chapter 26

"Is... that soup?"

Three people jumped and dropped their utensils from the sound of this voice.

"Mami!" Nicky cried, getting to her feet and grabbing onto her, hugging tight.

Frisk hesitated, then hugged back gently. "Hey," she murmured, her voice hoarse.

"Yes," Olceal then said, getting up and holding out the carton to Frisk. "Potato chowder from Grillby's."

Frisk's eyes softened, and she smiled, taking it with one hand. "Th-thank you, Olceal..."

"Mami, sit down," Nicky answered, pulling back and sitting Frisk down where she'd been, moving her food away to give her space. Asriel smiled at her gratefully, and she nodded. She understood.

Frisk lowered her head as she started to eat, hiding her face with her hair. After a moment, she muttered, "I'm sorry."

To which she was immediately swamped with hugs, jerking the spoon from her hand and a laugh from her belly. She couldn't help it; they'd _all hugged her._ It was impossible to keep a laugh from something like that.

In that sound, though, was more than just a laugh. It was a sign that, eventually, she really would be okay.

She'd get through this, and she wouldn't end up scared and alone like she had the first time, either.

Frisk started crying, then, everything engulfing her at once, and those arms, those loving arms, held her tight.

Never, in all of her life, had she ever felt so loved.

* * *

Alphys couldn't sleep.

She tried; she knew she needed to. Now, even more, the school needed to be looked after, and it nagged at her and kept her awake.

Ever since she'd had Dandelion, she kept her work part-time, and while before she'd been shot, she'd been able to split that time between the school and the hospital, she'd had to quit teaching in order to continue DT research.

But, now... now... Now, all she could think of was the school.

It bothered her. DT was her entire life, really; she'd been orphaned from research of it, and she'd made her life's work aiming to keep that from happening ever again. While she'd failed in many things, she'd succeeded in even more.

And now that DT was not only recognised, but almost common-place procedure for monsters close to death, she knew there was little more she could do, save--

She sat up, her eyes wide in the dark. She clutched the blankets close to her chest, her heart both racing and aching.

But...

She looked over at Undyne and Dandelion beside her. Undyne was on her back, sleeping heavily, and Dandelion was curled up against her, snoring lightly. They looked, for the first time that night, like they were truly resting.

The whole afternoon and evening had been spent weeping, between all three of them, and Dandelion refused to be separated from either of them; clearly, she was feeling mortality in the air, and didn't like it. And Undyne had been a wreck, her eye always on Alphys, whenever it could be, her hands shaking and touching her once it locked onto her... She was, too.

Maybe that's what Alphys was feeling, then: uneasy loss and change, unrelated to anything else but the loss that caused the change.

And yet...

Alphys sighed, grabbed her glasses, and slipped out of bed. Undyne stirred, but Alphys kissed her cheek, and she relaxed. She tucked both her and Dandelion back in, then left, shutting the door behind her.

She stood there for a moment, confused, her hands to her chest.

She realised, with an ache to her chest, that she wanted to talk to Toriel about it, because she would know what to do.

Alphys closed her eyes, trying to swallow her tears. Toriel had always given her advice, without any hesitation, and Alphys hadn't realised how much she'd depended on her until she was gone.

Shivering, Alphys crept to the kitchen to make some coffee. She knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, so she didn't bother wasting the time trying.

Instead, when it was ready, she grabbed her coffee, went to her desk, and, for a few hours, let herself get lost in social media.

But it was too much, she realised. Everything she came across mentioned Toriel, and every time her eyes landed on her name, Alphys felt pain lance her heart, and she felt tears well up, even when she tried to swallow them.

_She had so much to live for..._

_But she couldn't live without him..._

_Even with her children, she was done..._

_She had so much to live for, though..._

_Didn't she?_

_Do I?_

Alphys flinched, closing her eyes, but it was too late; her mind had gone down that road, and she loathed it.

She got up, hesitated, then sat back down, shaking. She stared at her keyboard for so long that her screen-saver came on, and when she looked up at it, she flinched again.

There were so many pictures of all of them together. They were always the six of them - seven, with Frisk - until, suddenly, their family started to grow. Slowly at first, but soon, there were so many more.

But now...

Alphys got up again, rubbing her wrist for a moment, before she swallowed and went back to the bedroom.

Both Undyne and Dandelion were snoring, now, and Alphys froze, listening. It was very loud, and very annoying.

But it was also... really comforting.

Alphys went back into bed and curled up with Dandelion, then made sure to grab one of Undyne's hands. Undyne stirred briefly, before her hand closed over Alphys's tight, and she relaxed again, soon resuming her duet with Dandelion.

Alphys smiled and closed her eyes, listening.

Just... listening.


	27. Chapter 27

Toriel's new will, when Frisk found it, shocked her. But not in a bad way. Frisk was named Toriel's executrix, too, and her funeral plans were the same, but that wasn't it. Rather, it was what she'd added to the will that startled her.

_"Frisk, my dear daughter, my child of my sweat and tears if not by blood, I give you the house. It's yours. Please, move in and take over. Please, use my and Gorey's old room, and make it your own for you and Asriel (and yes, I do not mind if you replace the bed, dear. ];3). But please, do take the house. If you do not want it, perhaps offer it to Basket, Olceal, and Nickname, as now they need the space. Or, even better! Give them New Solace if you choose to move into New New Home, and rename it New Solace Home? Oh, do, Frisk!_

_Asriel, my conflicted son, you are so strong. I was originally going to name you Headmaster of the school, but seeing you this week has changed my mind. You, like your father, are a politician, and you are best suited at Frisk's side in the Chambers. If you want it, though, feel free to take over as Groundskeeper. I know your father would have loved that, and trusted no other. And when he gave you his crown, he didn't realise you already wore one: the one you donned when you became Frisk's partner._

_Instead, I've decided on a different Head of the school, one that can of course decline, but one I feel was made for this role. And that's Doctor Alphys._

_Alphys, my dear, please be Headmistress in my stead. I find myself in these last days noticing you, and how well you work under pressure. And Alphys, I know you want to be a teacher, again, and one that teaches about what you know: Determination. If you look in my updated plans, Alphys, you will find that class newly added, and you, if you want it, as the professor. I know you will be able to ace the pressures of the school, because you stepped in and did it, already, and you haven't taught in years. You stepped up and fixed the school for us so keenly and so effortlessly that I couldn't stop thinking about how wonderful you'd be as my successor. I'm sad I don't get to see it, but I know you'll be amazing._

_Nickname Toriel Widijanti Dreemurr, you surprised me. I never thought you'd love anyone, let alone be intimate with anyone (do not be shy, dear, it was obvious, but it's also very sweet). I would have been proud of you no matter what, but I'm so proud of you for putting yourself in a deeply vulnerable position, and proud that you succeeded, as well. I know you will be a wonderful wife to Basket, dear. Honestly, I can't think of anyone better for you than her. She's your opposite in many ways, but she is so well-suited to you that I'm actually relieved. I'm so relieved that you are loved, and by the person who deserves your love, too. You're so beautiful, my gentle diplomat._

_Basket, I include you in this, too, as you are now family even more, now. I know I failed you when it came to school. I could have protected you better, done more to stop your abuse, and I regret that. But I do not regret how strong it's made you, how kind and gentle you are, despite the world giving you nothing but pain. And now that you and Nickname are together (at last, finally!), I know you will make my granddaughter so happy. Marry her, and make her - and in turn, you - happier, too._

_sans, forgive me. Please forgive me. I made you keep my starvation a secret, and that was very cruel of me. But sans, thank you for it, too. If they had known, my last days would have been spent in argumentative sorrow, and not the steady joy I was given. So, despite my soul's regret in hurting you, I'm grateful you kept my secret - and stayed at my side, regardless. You are a beautiful person, a precious friend, and a wonderful heart's bond. You have more than made up for the past, and I'm grateful you stayed in my life, despite my stubborn anger. Thank you, sans. Please forgive me._

_Undyne, please watch over Alphys. Stay at her side, protect her, keep her close. I know this sounds odd, but please, do. The two of you are meant for each other, and you deserve to be together forever._

_Frisk and Asriel, I again address you. My belongings mean little to me, so please distribute them as you will it (heehee, yes, that's a pun!). My children, my beautiful miracle children, do you have any idea how lucky I feel, when I look back at our shared lives? Frisk, you fell into my life and was the first to survive, and not only did you do that, but you and Asriel broke the barrier, and set us free. And then, barely a legal adult, you put your life on the line to bring Asriel back - knowing damn well that you would die. You were foolish to think that your life is so expendable, and I'm glad your plan backfired. You brought my son back from the dead, after years of taking care of him as a flower, when no one else would. And then, to my delight, you fell in love with my boy, and made him the happiest monster in the entire world._

_But then you did it again, and brought Nickname into the world. Do you know how wonderful a gift that was, my human daughter? That you beat all odds, survived that, and managed to raise her into such a beautiful woman? Frisk, without you, my life would still be empty and trapped in the Underground. I will never be able to repay you, but I'm grateful, so grateful._

_And Asriel, my boy. Forgive yourself, please. You still hold onto that guilt, and it pains me deeply. You have more than made up for your sins, my boy. Take it from looking at your dear father's life, and compare it to yours. Do you not think he had earned that forgiveness, after how hard he worked to make those amends? Would you say he still didn't deserve it? Of course not, so stop saying it to yourself, my lad, or I will find I way to kick it into your rear ];). I'm so proud of you. My death is worth seeing you as an adult, a husband, and a father. I wouldn't want it any other way, honestly._

_I'm sorry for the way I left, though. It was cruel, but I knew my time was done, and didn't want to linger too long. The fact is, while I know you will protest, dears, you haven't needed me in a long time. And, to me, that means I did something right, and raised you well. I just hope you can forgive me for the way I left you. I just knew Gorey needed me, more, should I find him._

_And if I do, goodness, will we ever gossip._

_I cannot wait._

_I love you all so much and am so proud of you._

_Always._

_Love,  
Mam." _

Frisk closed her eyes. "We need to call the others here to read this, right away."

Asriel was already on the phone.


	28. Chapter 28

"Pl-please... please t-tell me... Is-is this a _joke?!"_

Frisk stared at Alphys, shocked by her dear friend's anger, and she shook her head, holding Toriel's phone out to her silently. Alphys took it and read it over, her eyes widening when she read the paragraph about her, and she started shaking.

Toriel knew. She'd known exactly what Alphys was thinking. She probably knew before Alphys did, if anything.

Alphys started to cry, then. She never knew, until that moment, just how much Toriel had cared about her. She had known she'd cared... but _this_ much? To trust her with the school? To remind Undyne to take care of her?

She couldn't help but sob from that.

Dandelion went over to her and curled up in her lap, as they were all seated in the living room, and Alphys held her and cried harder, bringing her daughter to tears, too. Undyne bit her lip and leaned over, pulling them both to her.

They were still waiting for Basket, Olceal, and Nickname to come over, but Papyrus and sans were there, and sans was silent, his eyes dim and his hands shaking.

"Th-this... this is..." Alphys choked out. "H-how did sh-she know?!"

Undyne kissed her forehead and nodded, holding her and Dandelion closer. The thing was, none of it surprised Undyne, at all. While she hadn't made that connection, she'd seen firsthand how dedicated Alphys had been when she stepped in for Toriel, and how she'd done it with no hesitation. If anything, she wondered if she should have expected it of Toriel, as she was one of the very few who understood Alphys.

"Honey," Undyne whispered, "I think you should accept."

"Of course I accept!" Alphys cried, covering her face with her hands and sobbing into them, unable to speak for a while after that.

Frisk was happy to hear it, and she lit up. "You will? Really?!" When Alphys nodded, Frisk got up and hugged her (and Dandelion), and was hugged back by all three, making her laugh softly.

Asriel was watching sans through this, as was Papyrus. sans had been quiet, his eyes unfocused and dim the moment he'd come over, and when he'd read the will, he'd winced and held a hand to his chest, keeping his eyes closed for a long time.

He forgave her. He really did. He hurt, and was still hurting from what she'd done, but he forgave her. Of course he did. How could he not?

He understood, in many ways. After all, when his heart's love had died, he'd wanted someone to kill him - or he'd do it himself. Of course things had turned out, and had even improved after that, but despite others eventually forgiving him, he'd never forgive himself. Ever.

So he understood why she killed herself. But he hated it with every particle of dust that made him. Not her, but the fact that she was dead, and it was suicide. He hated that she'd loved Asgore so much. He hated that he could never be enough for anyone, even when they needed him to be.

That would change. But not yet. Now, it was all he felt.

Papyrus knew. He knew, and kept his hand on one of sans's, to remind him, to give him a reason to hold on. Papyrus knew his brother, and knew his hold on his own life was loose at the moment.

That would also change, luckily. But until then, Papyrus always kept his hand there, anyway.

"Are you gonna do it?" Undyne wondered, her face red and her eye wavering, still holding her wife and daughter close. "Are you gonna move in?"

Frisk bit her lip, looking up at Asriel, who was now holding her in his lap. He looked back, and when she searched his eyes, she saw the answer, and smiled. "Yes," she agreed. "We want to. We just hope that Nicky will want to move back here, and into New Solace."

Undyne and Alphys looked at each other, then, smiling, and Frisk realised she'd missed something. "What?" she asked them.

"Er," Alphys murmured, sniffling and wiping the tears from her eyes. "W-well, Nicky wants to m-move in with Bassy and Olceal, so..."

Frisk's eyes widened, and she smiled without control. "Really?" she whispered, her eyes filling with different tears, now. "She does? She really does?"

Undyne grinned. "Yeah!" she agreed happily, and Dandelion looked up at her, curious. "Peridot told us and was so excited she cried, and she cried so hard she ended up dropping her phone in the sink. It was so cute."

Frisk laughed softly, leaning back against Asriel and closing her eyes. She'd known Nicky was asexual forever, and knew this didn't change that. But she'd also known that Nicky was aromantic, and that clearly had changed. She pondered on that, wondered why it happened, when Basket had always been there, loving her from the start.

"Mortality," Asriel murmured, surprising her. He was looking down at her, and could clearly see her thought process.

"Yes," Alphys agreed, her voice stronger, now. "It's not uncommon, actually. A brush with death can cause the mind and heart to either close up, or open so wide that the person owning both can get taken aback by it. Nicky clearly had no idea that this would happen, and yet once she did, she didn't bury it. Instead, she embraced it. Most people would be shattered and confused by such a revelation, but Nicky just accepted it and took a chance. And she was rewarded, just like Bassy - and Olceal, too. She and Olceal have been close, and they share that love for Basket. Together, the-they're... they're.."

Alphys's voice cracked, and she lowered her head to her daughter's, hiding her face in her hair. Dandelion made a face but didn't move, used to it.

"Yeah," Undyne agreed, smiling. "God, have you see those three together? They already act like they've been married for years."

"I want that marriage," Asriel suddenly blurted out, his voice strong with conviction. "I want that marriage so fucking much. We need it. She needs it. And I'm so glad she wants it, too."

"Hm," Frisk murmured. "What about Olceal? How does he feel about Basket and Nicky together?"

Dandelion suddenly spoke up. "He loves her."

Everyone looked at her, surprised, and she blushed and hid under her hair, but added, "He does."

"What do you mean, Lioness?" Undyne asked her.

"Olly loves Nicky," Dandelion replied from behind her hair, finding it easier to talk with that curtain in place. "He's loved her all the time. He loves her because she loves Bassy, and also because she's her. They're gonna be great together, even if I still don't get it."

Alphys and Undyne stared at her, surprised. They'd never even thought of that, yet looking back, it was clearly true.

Olceal had always welcomed Nicky, always treated her with care and affection, despite their past and despite knowing his wife loved her. He never held that against her, because he knew his wife loved him, too. And they'd always been friends, ever since he'd been forgiven.

They just hadn't made that connection until now. Olceal of course loved Nickname, because she'd always been there for Basket and himself when they needed her. And now, even more so.

"Oh my god," Alphys whispered. "Oh my god, oh my god, _oh my god."_

"They're gonna get married, aren't they?!" Undyne cried excitedly, her grin huge.

"I hope so," Asriel replied.

Alphys then closed her eyes. "But me? As Headmistress? I m-mean, I want to be, actually." She smiled. "I wanted to ask her if I could teach DT, but never had the chance, because I was too... cowardly..."

Her smile faded, her eyes now open and dark. "But she already knew. And trusted me with the school. I... I-I don't know if I... if I deserve it..."

Frisk opened her mouth to reply, but that was when the spoken-of triad arrived, and she never got the chance.

But later, months later, she'd remember that doubt. And she'd regret not speaking sooner.


	29. Chapter 29

The moment she read the paragraph addressed to her, Nickname started to cry. She was quiet, but it still happened.

In that moment, though, something wonderful happened: she was hugged by Basket and Olceal on both sides, and Basket gave her a kiss on her cheek. She closed her eyes and smiled, sniffling, and nuzzled them both gratefully.

Her parents stared at her, wearing identical smiles. It was a side of Nicky they'd never seen, but oddly recognised, as they recognised themselves in those gestures; Asriel in her tears and nuzzling, and Frisk in her gentle, grateful smile.

Then, oddly, Nicky's eyes flared, and she dropped the phone. Her eyes went strangely blank, like opaque rubies, and she froze, her eyes flicking around but not focusing.

"Nicky?" Basket murmured, scared; she'd never seen her look like that before.

"bass, shut up," sans suddenly said, his voice sharp. His eyes were on Nicky, though, as he knew exactly what was happening.

Her parents were also silent, as they, too, knew. Frisk even got up and grabbed a pen and a pad of paper, then knelt in front of her daughter, giving Basket the phone.

After a tense moment, Nickname shuddered and shut her eyes, leaning back against the couch and gasping for breath, her hand on her chest. Frisk immediately gave her the pen and paper, and she took it, opening her eyes - now bright and normal again - and quickly scribbling upon it, her face pale.

"Oh," Basket murmured, leaning close again and watching her write, curious. Olceal did, too, rubbing Nicky's back gently, and she relaxed a little, grateful.

When she was finished, she read over what she wrote - and looked up, her eyes going right to Undyne's. Undyne blinked in surprise, confused.

"Undyne," Nicky said softly, reaching up to brush sweat from her forehead. "I just had a vision about you. And Alphys." She held the pad out to her, and Undyne reached over and took it, feeling strangely nervous.

She read it, and that only increased.

" _Darkness. Undyne holding a shield. Two shots. Blood. Confusion. Yelling and tears. Five weeks. Five weeks. That kept coming up. Five weeks. And fifty. Fifty? Shower, nail file, puddles. Alphys in worn but nice pyjamas, looking miserable and blank. Water, like rain, but mixed with red? ??? Undyne again, walking slowly, her legs encased in stone, but determined. Darkness."_

That was it.

Nickname was shaking. She hadn't liked what she saw at all, and it had been horrific to hear it, too. Writing it down was one thing, but experiencing it was far worse. And she had no idea what any of it meant, just that all of it was important - and that it would happen.

Basket touched her cheek, and she jumped, turning to her and staring at her. Silently, Basket touched her other cheek, holding her face, and Nicky searched her face, her eyes wavering. When Basket smiled, Nicky hugged onto her tight.

Alphys had just finished reading it, and was no more enlightened than the others. "W-well," she murmured, looking disturbed. "I... This isn't very clear, t-to be honest, but... I-I don't... like it."

She handed it back to Undyne and shivered, her eyes closing. Those words disturbed her, and she didn't know why.

Or rather, she did: they disturbed her, because she knew in some way, they would come true. The problem was, she just didn't know how, and unfortunately, knew she likely wouldn't understand until too late, when it was already happening.

She tried to keep it burnt to her memory. She truly did. But perhaps because it was so disturbing, she did eventually forget it. And in doing so, would damn herself the most.

But that wasn't now. Not yet.

"Thank you, Nicky," Frisk murmured, taking the pad from Undyne's hand. "We should take pictures."

Everyone did, even Alphys, and then gave the pad back to Nicky. She tore the paper off the pad, folded it, and pocketed it, still looking pale and shaken.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "Where... where's the will?"

Basket handed her back the phone, and she took it shakily, reading the will over again, holding it in a way that gave Basket and Olceal view of it too, since they were also mentioned. Basket went scarlet when she read her paragraph, then hid her face in her hands.

"Oh god," she murmured, though her tail wagged a little. "Oh god, oh god, Nicky, don't feel like you _have_ to marry us, pl-please? You-you don't, not at all."

Nicky, however, smiled in such a way that had her parents staring at her in delight again. Gently, she took hold of Basket's hands and, to everyone else's delight, kissed both of her palms. Basket stared at her, still red, but she smiled, now, her eyes wavering.

"Hi," she murmured, and behind Nicky, Olceal laughed softly; she always sounded so cute when she said that.

"Bassy," Nicky replied, smiling at her. She stood up, still holding Basket's hands, before she got even sans's attention, and knelt down in front of her on the floor.

Basket froze, her eyes going wide and filling with tears, her smile vanishing. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Olceal watched this with a racing heart, his smile so wide it hurt his cheeks. He knew he should probably not feel so happy, but... he did. He felt so incredibly happy.

"Bassy," Nicky repeated, and Basket nodded mutely, her tears running down her cheeks. "Please, marry me?" Her eyes went to Olceal, and she let go of one of Basket's hands to take one of his, surprising him. "Please, Olly? Marry me?"

Basket started sobbing, trying to speak but only finding more tears instead of words. Olceal stared at Nicky, and she stared back, smiling at him so warmly that his heart suddenly ached - and that surprised him.

"Yes," he blurted out.

Basket turned to him in surprise, and he nodded to her. She then turned back to Nicky and, surprising no one, lunged down and tackled her to the floor, peppering her face with kisses.

"Gross!" Dandelion screeched, throwing a couch cushion at the two. Basket caught it and threw it back, hitting Alphys in the face and knocking her glasses off.

"Good one," Undyne quipped drying, smirking.

Olceal then dropped to the floor and tackled both women, making them laugh and grab hold of him. So many kisses were exchanged, as well as tears, and by the time they had finally brought themselves up from the floor, the rest of their family were ready to tackle them - and did.

Only sans hung back, his eyes on the picture he'd taken of Nicky's words, their light rather dim. He said nothing, but it was clear that he was in deep, sombre thought.


	30. Chapter 30

When Tally called Olceal, he was surprised; he'd told her what had happened, but hadn't expected her to call until later.

"Mom?"

"Olceal, love," Tally murmured, worrying him immediately.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice catching.

"Olceal, can you ask if I can join you for Toriel's funeral?"

Olceal blinked, surprised. She hadn't requested an invite to Asgore's, so this was surprising.

Or, was it? Ever since he was a child, he knew that Tally and Toriel spoke, especially when he was being a little scumbrat to Basket. He knew they still spoke, and especially so once he and Basket were married.

"Really?" he said. "But, you didn't ask to come to Asgore's."

"I wasn't as close to him as I was to Toriel, dear," she replied gently, and he heard the smile in her voice. "I miss her a great deal, and want to say goodbye. I don't need to scatter her dust, not at all, but..." She inhaled shakily. "I want to see her off."

Olceal was surprised, still, but of course he went and checked. Frisk and Asriel nodded right away, and no one else protested.

Tally was relieved. "Thank you. Do you know when it is?"

"Not yet," he admitted, sitting back down with Basket and Nicky. "But I'll tell you the second I know."

"Thank you, sweet lad," she replied, her voice warm, and Olceal smiled shyly. "You've become such a wonderful man, Olceal. You are so much like your father, now."

Olceal blushed, speechless for a moment, until she said his name and asked if he was alright. "Mom," he rasped out, his eyes filling with tears. He felt Basket grab his hand tight, and he closed his eyes. "Mom, thank you. I... I think..."

He lowered his head, ashamed. He hadn't had the courage to tell her about Nickname, yet, as he wasn't sure how she'd feel about it. He'd told her about Nicky a long time ago, when he realised he was in love with Basket - but she was in love with Nicky, and he feared she would reject him.

Tally had been wary of Basket because of this, especially at the beginning, as she knew Basket was still in love with Nickname, despite also being in love with her son. She deeply resented her and Nicky for a while, until she got to know Basket better - and ended up loving her, anyway. Nicky, she knew less about, but was a little chilly to because of it all.

Therefore, he had no idea how to tell her that Nicky was going to marry them. He started a few times, before his words got stuck in his throat.

Tally heard, and her voice grew worried. "Olcy, what's wrong? Are you alright? Lad, tell me? Please?"

His eyes went to Basket right away, the use of his childhood name freezing him further, and she blinked; she could easily hear the conversation, thanks to her ears, but hadn't anticipated his needing her help. She held out her hand, and he gave her the phone.

"Tally?" Basket greeted cheerfully.

"Basket!" Tally replied, her voice warm - but still concerned. "Is Olcy okay?"

"Yeah," she agreed. "He's just nervous. We need to tell you something."

Tally paused, before she whispered, "Are you pregnant?"

Basket winced. She hated that question, because she knew that Tally wanted grandchildren very much, and neither Basket nor Olceal wanted children yet - or at all.

"N-no, I'm-I'm sorry," Basket answered, her face burning with embarrassment. "I-I... W-we... uh-uhm..."

Undyne suddenly rolled her eye, got up, and grabbed the phone. "Hey, Tals, it's Undyne."

Tally paused, then said, "Undyne, please tell me what the hell is going on and if I need to panic. Our children are being annoyingly vague."

Undyne laughed. "I know, right? They're being such wussy baby pukes. I'll tell you. You know Nicky, right?"

Tally again paused. "Yes," she said uncertainly.

"You know Peridot loves her, yeah?"

"Yes," Tally answered, her voice so cold that Undyne shivered.

"Okay, warm up, Tals," Undyne replied. "Because our Olcy loves her, too. And she loves them both."

Olceal and Basket beamed at her gratefully, and Nickname hid her face shyly in Basket's chest, making Basket laugh - but also squirm a little and blush, making Nicky smile - and cling tighter.

"He does? She does?" Tally wondered, sounding very confused.

"Yeah!" Undyne replied. "You up for another wedding?"

Tally was silent for a moment so long that Undyne checked to see if she'd hung up. Then, she heard it: soft, uncontrollable giggling.

"Tally?" Undyne called.

"Yes," she replied, her voice wavering with mirth.

"Uh, you up for that?"

"Yes," she answered immediately, surprising Undyne. "Of course I am. This is exactly how it should have been before! Why wasn't it?"

"Uh," Undyne stammered. "Nicky's ace, and was aro-ace, until recently."

"Oh!" Tally said, genuinely surprised. "I didn't know that, but goodness, that explains so much!" She laughed again. "What a little asshole I am!"

Undyne snorted and started laughing so hard she fell down on the floor. She held the phone out to her son, and he took it with a shy smile.

"Mom?" he said.

"Olcy," she replied. "I'm sorry. I didn't know Nicky was aro-ace. If I had, I wouldn't of been such an icicle, nor would I of kept one up my ass. Forgive me."

"Always," Olceal replied, grinning. "Mom, are... are you okay with this?"

"Yes," she repeated easily. "Honestly, lad?"

"Yeah?"

"This is such a nice relief after such horrible pain."

"Yeah," Olceal murmured, grabbing Basket's hand and leaning over to rest his head against Nicky's shoulder (who, it should be noted, was still in Basket's marshmallow hell). "Mom. God. Thank you so much."

"Thank you for being honest, kind, and so full of love," she replied - and he had to hand the phone back to Basket, as those words made him burst into tears, his heart so full.

"Hey, Mom Three," Basket greeted her, and Tally laughed.

"Would that make Frisk Mom Four, lass?"

Basket laughed, then, almost as hard as her mother had, and it felt so amazing that she cried, too. "Come over, please?" she begged her mother-in-law, and she agreed with a laugh.

* * *

While this was going on, sans had vanished into the backyard, and Papyrus followed him, worried. sans had glared at him when he noticed, then sighed and just sat down in the flowers, burying his head into his arms, resting his arms on his knees.

Papyrus hesitated, then sat down beside him. "SANS," he said. "PLEASE TALK TO ME."

sans sighed. "bro, i really don't wanna."

"YES," Papyrus agreed, "BUT YOU SHOULD."

sans said nothing for a while, but Papyrus was a patient skeleton, and would always wait him out. He knew this, yet still hesitated; he was honestly trying to find a way to explain it.

He closed his eyes and sighed, and when he spoke, his voice was deeper, and almost felt. "This happiness, this confusing happiness that keeps coming up, despite the agony of loss... I know Tori would have preferred something like this, instead of us moping and crying. It just feels... strange."

Then, Sans added, "I feel empty, bro. And it scares me."

Papyrus was silent, but he leaned over and hugged him, and Sans didn't pull away.


	31. Chapter 31

Frisk was the one who went out to see the two brothers, surprising only Sans.

"Hey," she called cautiously, walking towards them slowly. She'd seen Sans's blank eyes, and even now, almost thirty years after, it still scared her, despite everything.

"HELLO," Papyrus replied with a smile. "COME SIT WITH US."

Frisk hesitated, her eyes going to Sans, who was looking away, his head in his hands. She then nodded and sat down in the flowers beside Papyrus. He hugged her for a moment, something she returned with her eyes closed, before he pulled away and kept his hand on hers.

"What's wrong?" she asked, keeping her voice soft.

Then she flinched; it was a stupid question; of course she knew what was wrong.

"Sorry," she added.

"It's fine," Sans murmured. "I know you didn't mean it poorly."

Frisk bit her lip, shivering. "Sans, can you maybe calm down? I'm sorry, but... you're scaring me."

He turned to her, clearly surprised, but she looked away, her face pale. He blinked, and his eyes lit back to life. She sensed it, and turned back, smiling gratefully.

"that still scares you?" he wondered softly.

"Yeah," she murmured. "Sorry. I just... like seeing my friend, not the Judge."

"ah," sans replied, laughing softly and dryly - but without real humour.

"Why are you hiding, sans?" she asked.

"BECAUSE HE MISSES TORIEL," Papyrus answered for him. "AND ASGORE. AND NICKNAME'S VISION UPSETS HIM."

"Yeah," Frisk agreed softly.

sans hesitated, then suddenly just lost his temper. "i mean, we've had enough bullshit. we have to scatter another beloved family member after barely finishing scattering the first. and now, nick sees even more bullshit we have to deal with. haven't we had enough to deal with?"

Frisk stared at him, then laughed softly, closing her eyes and lowering her head into her hands. Her laugh was the same kind as sans's had been: dry, humourless, and exhausted.

"Yeah," she agreed. "But at least we have warning, right?"

"YES!" Papyrus agreed with a small smile, this one genuine. "WE CAN PROTECT UNDYNE AND ALPHYS, AND KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING!"

"bro... that's not how it works..." sans sighed.

"But it's a good plan," Frisk cut in, scowling at sans. "We should make sure they're protected, so that if the crap hits the fan, we have some semblance of preparation."

"YES!" Papyrus agreed.

sans said nothing.

"Let's go back inside, okay?" Frisk offered. "We need to... to talk about the funeral... and ad-addressing the m-media..."

She covered her face and took a breath, trying to keep her tears calm. Papyrus put an arm around her and hugged her, and she fell into it for a moment, unable to hold it back.

sans heard her and looked up, his expression softening. "are you gonna be okay to do that, frisk?"

"No," Frisk whispered. "But I have to."

That, it seemed, was enough to bring him back inside.

* * *

During this time, the others distracted themselves with something happy.

"Alphy," Undyne said, her tone sly and her smile ever more sly. "Guess what."

Alphys leaned back against her chest and smiled, seated happily in her lap, and closed her eyes. "You know I'm terrible with that, love."

"Can I guess?" Dandelion wondered, sitting on Nickname's lap. (She'd asked Nicky, "Can I sit on your lap, sis?" and Nicky was so touched that she nodded and smiled, her eyes filling. She was still blushing when Dandelion spoke.)

"Okay," Undyne agreed, grinning at her Lioness happily.

"Uhm," Dandelion chewed on one of her claws for a moment. "Mummy's pregnant?"

Alphys jumped and went scarlet. "N-no!" she cried. "No, Dandy, th-that's not going to happen again, I'm sorry!"

Dandelion didn't look upset, however. "Oh, okay." She looked over at Basket. "Bassy's pregnant?"

Basket scowled at her. "No, of course I'm not, what are you, nuts?! You silly fluff!" And she leaned over and messed up Dandelion's long, smooth hair into a staticky mess.

Dandelion screeched and slapped her hands away, then hid behind Nicky's arm, glaring at her sister. "Mean!" she growled.

Olceal then piped in. "I bet I know."

Undyne raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh?"

He nodded sagely. "Yes." Then he grinned back. "We're getting married again - kinda ."

Undyne nodded and laughed, and both Nicky and Basket exchanged a blushing smile.

"I-I'm so excited," Alphys admitted softly. "I'm so... gl-glad that we have s-some happiness, in this... th-this..." She trailed off, lowering her head, and Undyne cuddled her close, kissing her forehead softly.

"Uh," Nicky murmured. "Can... can it be small? I'm not sure I can handle a crowd, and every wedding I've been too has been so huge and busy that it made me anxious every time." She blushed. "I imagine it would be the same, if not worse, for a wedding of... my own...?"

She looked up at Asriel, then, her eyes huge, and he looked at her, smiling a little. He'd been watching the TV in silence, zoning out, but once he knew Nicky needed his attention - and especially when he heard the doubt in her voice.

He got up and sat down beside her, putting his arm around her and hugging her gently. "Yes," he murmured, his eyes wavering. "Your own."

She stared up at him wonderingly. "I'm getting married," she whispered, her hands holding Dandelion a little tighter. Then, she looked at Basket, who smiled at her shyly.

"Yes," Asriel repeated, touching her cheek and getting her full attention again. "It's wonderful, Nicky."

Nicky's eyes filled with tears. Suddenly, she finally understood, truly, what this meant, and it hit her hard. She'd never pictured herself married at all, let alone to someone like Basket or Olceal - and especially not both. But now that it was a reality, her heart felt so full and warm that she had to cry.

"Oh, sweetie," Basket suddenly said, moving over close on her other side and taking her hand, pulling it to her.

Nicky turned to her, her tears spilling over, her heart aching. She felt so much in that moment, so very much, and all for Basket. Her bright eyes, her short fluffy hair, her fan-shaped ears and wide smile... A smile she knew was only for her...

"Bassy," she sobbed out. "Why do you even love me? I rejected you for years."

"Because I just do," Basket replied, looking up at Asriel shyly for a moment, who smiled kindly at her. "I always have. I always will. No matter what."

Olceal, beside Basket, nodded in agreement, smiling.

Nicky sobbed, then. Everything hurt inside, her heart, her soul, her very guts. She felt like a soup made of sorrow and joy, of loss and love, and it was so overwhelming. She felt deep grief for Asgore and Toriel, yet she felt such joy for Basket and Olceal. It was a deep contrast of change and dynamic, and she couldn't control it.

She wondered if she should feel guilty for feeling joy while her grandparents had just died. And in many ways, she did.

But then, she remembered what Toriel said, both on her deathbed as well as in her will. And she remembered how Asgore had only wanted her happiness, regardless of how she got it. She knew they'd be supportive and want her to have this joy.

"Oh," Nicky whispered, covering her face with her hands and weeping. Dandelion slid out of her lap, as she saw her sister's intentions, and the moment she did, Basket crashed into Nicky's arms with a tight hug and many little kisses. Olceal curled up against Basket, reaching out and touching Nicky's hand, and she grabbed it tight, and on her other side, Asriel hugged her, too.

She would never, ever let them go.

Ever.


	32. Chapter 32

It was how the other three found them, though Dandelion was the only one who looked annoyed instead of happy, which was actually kind of funny, considering.

"Everything okay?" Frisk asked as they joined them.

"Yeah," Asriel replied softly. "Nicky's just overwhelmed."

Frisk nodded, leaning over and kissing her daughter atop her head gently.

"She also wants a small wedding," Asriel added.

"AW," Papyrus pouted, sitting down with a silent sans, who watched the TV again impassively.

"That's actually a good idea," Frisk admitted, sitting down beside Papyrus. "We could just keep it to a few close friends and family, and have it privately to avoid any media."

Nicky nodded, her face now buried - again - in Basket's chest. (This would become a habit she'd have for the rest of her life - one Basket actually really loved.) Basket stroked her hair slowly, and Olceal held her hand and stroked it gently between his own, tracing the tips of his finger along its shape slowly.

Seeing this, seeing Nicky so deeply cared for and loved, made Frisk feel so happy and warm that she smiled brightly, her first real smile all day. Asriel saw it and smiled back, his eyes wavering.

"But first," she then added, her smile fading. "We need to hold another dumb conference before we can do anything else - even scatter... M-Mami's d-dust..." She lowered her head, covering her face with her hair for that moment, and they gave her time.

"Frisk?" Asriel then said, getting up and kneeling in front of her, touching her knees. "Let me do it. Please."

"No," Frisk growled. "No, Asriel. We do this together."

She looked up, her dark eyes flashing, and he nodded. "You're right," he agreed. "Together."

"but do it soon," sans suddenly said. "because the media - especially the humans - are freaking the hell out, and they need to know what happened from someone other than themselves."

He pointed to the TV, and there was a display of humans gathering around the entrance of the Underground, leaving flowers, as well as doing the same at City Hall and the school.

Frisk watched with mixed feelings. She was touched by these gestures, but knew she needed to speak, to comfort them, to reassure them - and to set things back on track.

"Tonight," she decided softly. "I'll make the calls."

Everyone nodded, and from there, it was busy.

But it was a welcomed busyness; it kept any of them from thinking for too long - a blessing.

* * *

Frisk made the press conference short. She just completely detached herself from the words that came out of her mouth, and when she was done, she didn't remember any of them.

She didn't break down. Asriel didn't have to take over. She just... spoke in monotone, her eyes dark and unfocused, and she repeated much of the same requests as she had when Asgore had died: no media and privacy.

When it was over, Asriel was worried. He was afraid she was detaching again, and that he would lose her to it.

But the moment their eyes met, and he cupped his hand around her face... that was when she broke.

Asriel made sure he was there to keep her together.

* * *

"Frisk?"

She looked up, her vision blurry. It was the next day, and she was sitting at the kitchen table of New New Home - New Solace Home, now - with the pie dish of Toriel's dust in front of her. She held it cupped between her hands, and had just been staring at it and weeping, unable to move.

Asriel stood wearing his grey clothes - just like she was - and she loathed it. She loathed seeing that colour on him, and loathed what it meant.

But she nodded, used her sleeve to clean her face, and got to her feet, holding the dish, still. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders gently, and she leaned into it, closing her eyes for a moment.

"I don't want to do this," she admitted. "I don't want to finalise the fact that they're both gone, Asriel."

"Neither do I," he admitted, his voice wavering. "But she does deserve a good scattering. You know that."

She sniffled, then nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay. I'll be right beside you, okay?"

She looked up at him, swallowing hard. Even now, he still had that power to make her remember why she loved him so much - and for so long.

"And I with you," she promised.

She meant it, too.

* * *

They started on the surface, first, aware that if they didn't, they'd be caught and swarmed by media once they were discovered.

Again, it was Nicky who scattered the dust upon the flowers of New New Home.

"With Ehmpa, Ehmma," she murmured, the dust tickling her fingers and making her shiver. "Part one of many, I suppose. But you two deserve to be together. And I know... I know... I know you'd be proud of New Solace Home, too."

By saying it, she'd officially renamed it with Toriel's dust. A sense of closure came with it, of sadness and loss, and there wasn't a dry eye in the crowd of family watching Nicky - not even hers.

Frisk was proud of her. So proud of her.

_Was this how you felt, Mami, when I'd grown into a woman, when I'd grown into a wife? When I'd finally opened my heart to what I'd kept hidden for almost a decade, and changed everything forever?_

_And by making that change, killing you?_

_Were you still proud, Mami?_

She wondered. She wondered and it hurt. She wept and it hurt worse.

But she felt Asriel and Nicky hug her - followed shortly by everyone else - and cried from both grief - and gratitude.

There was no question that Toriel had been proud. Of all of them.

* * *

They went Underground, next, saving the gravesite for last.

Undyne and Alphys, this time, scattered Toriel's dust at the Blook farm, but this time at the snail racing track.

"You-you loved these," Alphys murmured, "even when your snail caught fire. You'd always eat it after and say that you won."

She laughed softly. She'd miss her dear friend so much, and it broke her heart. Undyne held her close, feeling similar, but knowing that Alphys and Toriel had been closer than she and Toriel. The others gave her time, and when she was ready, they moved on.

* * *

"hell," sans muttered, holding his handful of dust between his hands, his soul aching. "i never thought this would happen. i'd always assumed you'd scatter me - and happily, too."

It was all he could say, as he and Papyrus walked around the Librabry of Snowdin. She'd loved it there before - and after - her self-exile, always pouring money and patronage into it. While they'd never met there, he knew it was important to scatter her there, too.

But he also saved some for the doorway to the Ruins, and scattered some there, too, whispering, "old lady, who?"

* * *

In the Ruins, Frisk and Asriel were the ones to scatter the dust in the house - but Asriel, alone, scattered the dust in the flowerbeds.

He cried hard when he did it. He remembered layers of memories; of living with her and trying to remember love; of toying with her and making her feel terrible for knowing love, herself; for helping her; for killing her...

But he knew he hadn't been Flowey in a long, long, time, now. The dust that slid between his fingers were accompanied with tears, of regret and sorrow, of loss and love, yes.

But also of a mother, ever-loving, even when she didn't know - or care - why he'd suddenly returned. Just that he had, and she was happy.

He'd made her happy.

* * *

Back on the surface, they made a detour.

"N-no, I can't." Basket was shaking her head, holding her hands up and backing away from Frisk. "It-it's not right, it should be Nicky--,"

"Okay," Nicky suddenly said, going to her side. "We'll do it together, okay?"

Basket stared at her, her eyes filling with tears, before she turned to Olceal. "You-you, too!" she growled, holding her hand out to him. He smiled and took it, and together, the three took a handful of dust each, and moved slowly around the front of the school.

"God, Grandma," Basket murmured, her eyes overflowing. "You said you failed me, b-but you're so stupid. You-you never did. Ever. Pl-please don't think that way, anymore?"

Olceal scattered his in silence, but his mind was full. He remembered the stern Headmistress, who'd verbally flayed him for picking on Basket, and how that flaying had changed him. He remembered noticing her glances as him as he matured - ones he liked, because he could tell she knew he was trying to improve, that she understood _why_ he'd been so horrible.

And that one moment at his and Basket's wedding, when she'd cornered him, cupped his face between her hands, and said: "I knew you could."

That was it. She'd kissed his forehead, smiled, and walked away.

But he never, ever forgot it. And he knew his mother, behind him, watching him, was remembering it, too.

* * *

There was still one last place to visit, though - the hardest of them all.

Because it was the last.

The graveyard.

* * *

Frisk was shaking, crying without even noticing or caring. She held the last of Toriel's dust in her hands, and she stood alone, though Asriel and Nickname stood close behind her.

"Mami..." she whispered, her voice cracking. "I love you so much. You saved me. You saved me so many times. I never could repay that, ever..."

She choked, lowering her head, and she felt both Nicky and Asriel touch her shoulders. She took a breath and controlled herself as best as she could.

"I'm so sorry I didn't see you fading, sooner. I... I think I was in denial," Frisk admitted, ashamed. "I didn't want to see it. And I know you didn't want me to, either. I wish... I understand why you needed to be with Papi, but I wish... I wish you'd stayed, Mami..."

She dropped to her knees hard, unable to stay standing. In silence, she upended the dish and poured the last of the dust on Chara's grave.

Then, she fell in front of it, consumed by her grief.

It took a long time for her to get back up again.

But she would. With help.


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was a scene at the start of this that I had to cut and add to the previous chapter, so please go back and read it before continuing with this one!
> 
> Also, this chapter is so NSFW. So very NSFW.

It took a lot of time, but things soon started over again, and continued on. 

Alphys did indeed accept the Headmistress position, with a promise to help with DT research if she were needed and it didn't keep her from the school.

The first month scared her. She knew theoretically that she could do it, but applying it was terrifying. Hundreds of students depended on her for their education, and it was daunting and draining that first month. She even had nightmares about it, about failing, about ruining the school - and the worst, neglecting the students who needed her. She found she loved the job, and wanted to do it the best she could.

She was also terrified of humiliation. She was so sure the students would hate her, would see her as a poor replacement for their beloved Headmistress. And she agreed with that; no one could replace Toriel, ever. 

But she ended up wrong.

Yes, in that month, there was a lot of adjustment to be made, and she did make mistakes. But what surprised her was that the students - _her_ students - actually were happy to see her, to have her back. Her classes were strangely packed, with faces who watched her with full attention and eagerness for learning as she lectured about DT.

The first time she came home after a successful day, two weeks in, she stood in the doorway and burst into tears, her coat and bag still on and leaning against the front door. She couldn't help it; it was so surreal. 

Undyne heard her and went to her right away, as she'd left before her to get dinner while Alphys closed up the school. She grabbed her and hugged her hard, and Alphys clung to her, sobbing so hard they both trembled from it.

"Alphy, what happened, sweetie?" Undyne asked softly, kissing her cheeks.

Alphys tried to speak, but couldn't. She was too overwhelmed. Instead, she just clung to her wife, burying her face into her chest. 

Undyne was worried, now. Gently, she pulled away and took Alphys's coat off, then took her bag off and set it aside. Then, she scooped Alphys up into her arms and carried her into their bedroom. 

(Dandelion wasn't there; she was with Basket, Olceal, and Nicky, "helping" them pack up their stuff, which really meant sitting down and making comments as she watched.)

Undyne placed Alphys onto their bed and cuddled her against her chest, something Alphys immediately melted into.

"When you're ready, okay?" Undyne murmured, kissing her lips gently. 

Alphys nodded, then cried again, digging her nails into Undyne's back, her tail secured around Undyne's waist tight. Undyne was scared, now, but didn't show it. Instead, she just held her, trying not to cry, herself.

Then, Alphys sobbed out, "She-she was r-right!"

Undyne blinked, thrown by this. "Who was right about what, love?"

"T-Toriel," Alphys answered, choking on the name. "Sh-she believed in-in me, in-in wh-what I could d-do for her school..."

"She was right? How do you mean?"

Alphys looked up, her face red and tear-streaked, crumpled in grief. "It-it's working," she murmured, her eyes wide with shock. "Th-they... they... the st-students..."

Undyne smiled, then, nodding. "They love you."

"They love me!" Alphys cried, bewildered. "Undyne, why?! I'm replace-replacing Toriel, who c-could never be replaced, and they-they don't hate me!"

"Of course not," Undyne agreed. "Why would they? You've done so much, Alphy. You've saved so many lives, after risking your own, when no one else would, or could. You put everything on the line in a single shot of DT, and because of that, we're thriving." She smiled wider, her eye wavering. "Sweetheart, I can't believe you never knew how beloved you are."

Alphys sobbed again from that. She'd never, ever thought she could be beloved to anyone, least of all people whom she'd hurt in the past. 

"I knew you could do this, Alphy," Undyne went on. "The moment I read what Toriel said, I knew. She was so right about you."

"Undyne, I..." Alphys bit her lip, looking away and shaking her head.

"No," Undyne protested, reaching up and tilting her head back up from her chin. Their eyes met, and Alphys's darkened and glittered, her claws digging in deeper. 

"Ah," Undyne added, understanding. Alphys blushed, but Undyne leaned down and kissed her lips, soft to start - until Alphys suddenly growled and took hold of her shoulders, deepening the kiss and pushing Undyne down beneath her. 

Undyne closed her eye, heat striking her so hard she moaned softly. They'd had moments of lovemaking, stolen moments rushed in case Dandelion needed them, and especially through the grief and agony of the past few weeks. 

But now, they were alone. They had the night to themselves, thanks to their daughter, future daughter, and son. And Undyne wasn't going to let it - or Alphys - go. 

They undressed in a hurry, eager for each other, and soon, Alphys's tears dried the hotter her body became. The moment they were naked, Alphys pinned Undyne down again, kissed her so hard it took her breath away, and tangled her legs together with Undyne's. She shifted so that their flesh met, and Undyne was hers, all hers. 

They both needed this so much. Alphys knew this, and despite her hunger, she took her time, moving her body in slow strokes against Undyne's. Undyne clung to her, almost breathless by how wonderful Alphys felt, and met that pace easily.

Alphys then reached up and grabbed Undyne's face, pulling from their kiss to stare at her. Undyne stared back, her breaths short and her face red, but her smile was warm, and her eye shone. Alphys bit her lip, her eyes filling with tears again, the sight of Undyne so full of love for her that it almost hurt. 

This was a moment they would never forget, Alphys, especially, in months to come. Alphys would cling to this moment, cherish it with bittersweetness, and yearn for it again when she couldn't have it. 

But now, there was nothing else but this: their slow, steady lovemaking, the feel of lips on sensitive, slick and warm skin, the urgent sting of nails and claws dug into scales and tough skin as that passion grew. 

The way Undyne stared at Alphys, as though there was no one else in the entire world. Alphys stared at her the same way without knowing it, but Undyne did - and felt her heart fill with so much love that her own eye filled with tears. 

They kissed, their cries escalating the closer they got, that slow pleasure building in such a sweet way that they never wanted it to end. 

Therefore, when Undyne's eye suddenly glazed and rolled up, her hips rising up to meet Alphys's, Alphys tried to slow down, to make it linger. Undyne moaned, long and deep in the back of her throat, sending chills through Alphys, especially since it was her name that Undyne moaned out. 

"I'm..." Undyne then whispered, the only thing she got out before she grabbed Alphys and pulled her down, crying out and becoming clumsy, her head thrown back and her face bright red. When she came, she laughed, breathless and hoarse; it felt wonderful, so wonderful, especially when Alphys moved to make it linger. Undyne's tears ran free, then, so lost and happy that she couldn't control it, or even try to.

When she calmed, Alphys didn't move, kissing Undyne's face all over and stroking her hair from her sweaty forehead. Undyne purred, nuzzling her hand, clinging to her looser but no less closer. 

Then, she whispered, "Alphy, come for me. Please, come for me. I need you to. I need you to, so much..."

Alphys lowered her head to Undyne's chest for a moment, swallowing a sob. Undyne always did that, always made sure that Alphys came, too, and it touched her deeply each time. This time, especially, made it emotional for her, as she felt so vulnerable and raw that she _needed_ this: Undyne, her intimacy and love, and the pleasure she gave so freely and happily. 

"God, Undyne," she whispered, her voice wavering. Undyne reached up and stroked her head gently, and she sobbed softly. "Undyne... Undyne..."

In reply, Undyne shifted her hips up, rubbing her vulva along Alphys's slowly, and Alphys could feel how wet and warm she was, sending a peal of need through her. 

"Come for me," Undyne whispered, wrapping her arms around Alphys and holding her close again. "I... I need to hear you... I need to hear you sing that sweet song that you only sing for me..."

Her voice was so full of yearning that it surprised Alphys, but she understood why. In those weeks of adjustment, there'd been so much pain, so much loss and the feel of being utterly bereft, that there'd been little time for pleasure. Undyne needed to hear Alphys's pleasure, to know that she was feeling it at last, after so long without it. 

Alphys raised her head, lowered down onto her elbows, and started to move again. Undyne's breath hissed out, her eye rolling up, the feel so wonderful to her sensitive skin that she licked her lips. The sight of that set Alphys ablaze, and she suddenly pushed down and moved harder and faster.

Undyne gasped and clung to her, barely able to keep up, her body flooding with aftershock. She buried her face into Alphys's neck, crying out - a sound that had Alphys groaning and throwing her head back, her claws digging into the mattress. Her tail grabbed hold of Undyne's leg tight, her body flushing red, and she knew she was close, so close, so unbearably close...

"Fuck," Undyne suddenly gasped out, her eye flaring open, its colour glazed. "Alphy, fuck! Alphy, don't stop! Alphy... _Alphy...!"_

Alphys certainly did not stop, wordless sounds being pulled from her throat with each stroke of their bodies. She buried her face into Undyne's soft, almost salty-smelling hair - like nori, almost, she thought distantly - and gritted her teeth, on the brink, now, just a few more thrusts away.

"Alphy, _fuck! Fuck me! Yes, fuck yes! Yes...!"_ Undyne suddenly cried, her voice strained and her head thrown back against the pillows. She moved jerkily, gasping and clutching at her wife desperately, and from that, Alphys lost control. 

Her voice broke as she practically shouted out Undyne's name, her orgasm ripping through her so hard it made her blind, deaf - but flooded with pleasure and feeling. Beneath her, Undyne suddenly cried out her battle cry, the sound strangled, and in that, Alphys realised she was coming again - and with her.

She sobbed, holding Undyne to her, moving slower to draw it out for them both, and she felt Undyne's tears against her shoulder, her own cries akin to sobs, now, too. It felt so good, so amazing, and the best part was that they shared it.

When it started to fade, they still held tight, crying through smiles of bliss, their bodies coated in sweat without care, trembling with release and emotion. They collapsed together, gasping desperately for breath, wordless sounds that perfectly described their haze of glee. 

Then, when it was a shiver beneath their skin, Undyne whispered, "I... love you... Alphy..."

Alphys sobbed, hard, and buried her face into the crook of her wife's neck, bursting into tears. Undyne held her weakly, rubbing her back slowly and kissing her tears away. 

"I love you... I love you so much," Alphys cried, her claws digging into Undyne's shoulders.

"I know," Undyne whispered, her eye closed and her smile wide. "You show me, every day..."

Alphys was speechless, then, but it was okay. There was nothing else they needed to say.

They already knew. They always did. 

And it would be a moment Alphys would cling to when she needed it the most.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly NSFW, but not by much.

Packing up her things and selling her apartment wasn't as hard as she'd assumed it would be.

But then, like her mother, Nickname was very pragmatic, and knew it was just another end to a chapter of her life, one she didn't mind seeing the end of, despite the sadness that came with it.

Because the happiness of it all balanced it out.

The very last night in her apartment was one she spent with Basket. Olceal couldn't stay over like Nicky had wanted, as he also had to pack up his own stuff from his and Basket's apartment; they'd taken up the offer, and were now moving into the bigger (and oddly cheaper) New Solace. Basket had initially protested his absence, but he said he didn't mind, and it would make it easier.

"Also," he'd added, holding Basket in his arms, so gently and warmly that she smiled. "I think the two of you need that night to yourselves."

As the night went on, Basket realised he was right - and loved him more for it. 

Nicky didn't care much about leaving her apartment, true, but she did feel deep sadness that she had to transfer to another place to work closer to her knew home. She'd loved her understanding, accepting co-workers, and would miss them very much. She hoped her new ones would be good, too. 

That night, when almost everything was packed save what she needed that night and the next day, Nicky surprised Basket: in the middle of watching a show together, she was the one who made the first move - and what a move it was. 

"Ni--?" Basket barely got out, as she was suddenly pinned down onto the couch in the boxed-up living room, Nicky's hands reaching close in order to strip Basket eagerly, her lips smothering any words Basket wanted to say. The force of this hijacked Basket's brain - and body - and she simply melted beneath Nicky, her hands reaching up to do the same, her heart racing and full of love. 

Nicky could never explain where this desperation for Basket came from, because she never knew. They didn't make love very often - something Basket respected and didn't mind at all, as they certainly shared a great deal of sensual pleasure in its stead - but when they did, it was always with such passion, such raw, primal need. It always shocked them both, but in the best way.

Therefore, when Nicky, once they were naked, pulled Basket into her lap and kissed her, reaching down and making sure their flesh met, they were both gasping and hot for each other, and it didn't last very long due to that. And yet, despite this, both always felt so full and satisfied that the length of time never mattered. What mattered was what they shared. 

After, Basket was still in Nicky's lap, her arms loose around her neck and her tail wagging slowly, her smile wide and her eyes closed. Nicky stroked her hair, resting her head back against the couch, her other arm around Basket's generous waist and her fingertips tracing her stretch marks slowly. She, too, was smiling, but her eyes were open and staring at the ceiling, shining and bright. 

"Golly," she whispered, her heart aching. 

Basket giggled, nuzzling between her breasts gently. "Nicky, you're so cute."

Nicky blushed in surprise, looking down at her. Basket looked up and smiled wider, her tail wagging. "You are," she insisted, reaching up and poking the tip of her nose lightly. "It's one of the first things I adored about you."

"Bassy," she murmured, holding her hand to her cheek and closing her eyes. "I... I really love you."

Basket's eyes shone, her face lighting up so much that it surprised Nicky even more. "Dream words," she whispered. 

"No," Nicky replied, smiling again. "Real words. True words."

"Golly," Basket replied with a grin, making Nicky laugh. 

They didn't move from the couch for a long time, enjoying this naked, post-coital embrace, enveloped in their mutual, blossoming love. 

"Bassy," Nicky murmured after a moment, waking Basket up a little, as she'd been dozing against Nicky's chest, her hand still held to Nicky's soft, downy cheek. 

"Mm?" she murmured, keeping her eyes closed.

"I'm so happy you still loved me, after all of these years."

Basket's eyes opened, and she looked up again. Nicky's eyes were closed, her head lowered, and gently, Basket pressed her forehead to hers, closing her own eyes. 

"Always, Nickname," she whispered. "Always."

Nicky kissed her lips gently, and Basket returned it, reaching up and brushing her hair away from her face gently, before holding her face between her hands. Nicky smiled against her lips, closing her eyes and sliding her arms around Basket's waist, deepening the kiss just a little. 

Basket shifted, pushing herself closer, and Nicky's eyes opened again in shock; the feel of Basket against her like that, so close and warm, surprised her by how good she felt. 

Basket then broke their kiss slowly, her cheeks red and her eyes dark. Nicky was disappointed, trying to follow her and keep kissing her, but Basket didn't realise, because she didn't expect it - she always respected Nicky's boundaries, and never pressured her. 

"Wanna go to sleep now?" Basket wondered softly, her smile sending Nicky's blood alight. It was so gentle and warm, so understanding... 

Nicky knew Basket meant nothing but sleep, sensual sleep, cuddling each other in Nicky's bed, the last time she would ever sleep in her first home. 

"Yes," Nicky rasped out, her hands reaching up and sliding through Basket's spiky hair. Basket closed her eyes and purred, smiling wider; she loved it when her hair was stroked. 

"Mm," Basket murmured, before she pulled away and slid off of Nicky's lap, disappointing her again. Was she just not being clear enough with her desire? Or was it because Basket never wanted her to force herself to make love to her?

She watched, her breaths short and her cheeks red, as Basket bent down to scoop up her clothes, before she walked towards the bedroom, still stark naked. Nicky was frozen watching her, amazed by how such a simple action had such intense power over her. 

Slowly, she followed, leaving her clothes on the floor. She went into the room and found her Bassy about to slide her nightgown on over her head, smiling, still.

Nicky grabbed her wrist and stopped her, surprising her into dropping it and blinking up at her, confused. 

"Nicky, uh..." Basket's eyes travelled down over Nicky's body, and she blushed, her eyes quickly going back up, looking embarrassed. "S-sorry, I-I d-didn't... I-I..."

"Bassy," Nicky murmured. Basket nodded, swallowing hard. "Come here." And she pulled Basket to her, holding her close, something Basket clung to quite literally. 

"Don't," Nicky then whispered. Basket bit her lip. "Don't worry about that. Don't assume you'll upset or offend me. Because when it comes from you - or Olly - I know it's from someone I can trust."

Basket closed her eyes and buried her face into Nicky's shoulder. "Of course you can, always."

"No, silly, I mean with my body," Nicky replied with a small laugh. "Truly."

Basket shivered, then. She knew exactly the amount of trust that Nicky was giving her, and it touched her deeply. 

Nicky knew. She smiled and kissed her forehead, then sat down with her on her bed and pulled her under the covers, both of them still naked. 

They made love again, slow and sweet, keeping each other close and warm underneath the blankets. They took their time, enjoying each other's bodies - as well as their hearts - and Nicky was amazed, so amazed, by how much Basket meant to her yet again.

Then, through the whole night, they stayed in each other's arms. It was the best sleep that Nicky had ever had, one free of nightmares and visions, and she knew why. When she woke up with the sun, and felt Basket shift against her in her sleep, she knew why.

And she smiled, a gesture brighter than that sun.


	35. Chapter 35

Frisk hesitated when it came to renovating New Solace Home. Her heart was still raw, and going into her parents' bedroom made her cry every single time. She knew that it made sense for her and Asriel to use the room, but it felt like a betrayal to remove anything of theirs.

But Asriel was the one who made her see the reality of things.

"Mom said it was okay, Frisk," he murmured. They were on the floor in the doorway, Frisk having collapsed with an empty bin when she'd come in to pack up the room, and he was holding her and rocking her slowly as she cried against his chest.

Frisk tried to reply, but couldn't. Asriel understood, and kissed the top of her head gently. "Sweetie," he murmured, the pet name bringing a pang to her heart, despite her pain. "I know they both would want this." He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent for a moment. The house was so quiet, as they were alone in it, and it was strange. He knew they would get used to it, yes, but it was still strange.

After a moment, Frisk nodded. But then, her fingers dug into his back, and she moved closer, tilting her head and brushing her lips along his neck slowly. "Asriel," she whispered. "Please, if... if you're okay with it... I-I need... I need... you..."

He silenced her with a kiss, picked her up, and carried her to her old room.

He needed her, too.

* * *

After that initial block, it got easier. Moving from New Solace to New Solace Home wasn't as hard as she'd thought. Everyone wanted to help, especially Undyne, who insisted on carrying everything heavy, herself - which made everyone laugh, as she did it with ease each time, despite her age. Even sans helped, despite his slight withdrawal from everyone; it was actually the first time since the funeral that he'd spent time with them, and it was nice.

It took a few more weeks, but soon, the moves were complete. Nicky had sold her apartment and transferred successfully to her new position at City Hall, and now lived in the room she'd had already in New Solace, while Basket and Olceal moved into Frisk and Asriel's old room.

They kept much of the same furniture and sold the rest in both places, and within a month, the homes were finally that: homes, again.

* * *

The first night that Frisk and Asriel spent there was hard; this was true. Though the master bedroom was now almost identical to their old one, both felt the lingering presence of their parents, and it was both comforting and saddening.

They lay in their own bed, curled up against each other, having just made love for the first time there since inheriting it. They both were weeping, but it was okay; both understood why, and both were comforted by the other.

"Frisk," Asriel murmured from beneath her, his eyes closed and his chest rising and falling quickly as he sought to catch his breath. When she nodded against his chest, he whispered, "I know they were proud of us."

Frisk sobbed, just once, because she'd just been thinking the exact same thing. She clung to him, her nails digging into his skin sharply. "Asriel," she choked out, "I... I hope so."

"I know so," he replied, stroking her sweat-dampened hair slowly. He, too, cried, but he was smiling faintly. He felt it, deep in his heart. "And you know what? They'll never leave us. We're apart from them, yes, but we're also _a part of them,_ too. As long as we live, so will..." He sniffled. "So will Mom and Dad."

"Asriel," she whispered again, shifting closer. She raised her head, her eyes wide and full, her face red and full of so much emotion, and he smiled at her, his eyes warm and gentle. He held her face in his hands and kissed her quivering lips, and she returned it - and deepened it, surprising him, but also setting him alight again.

It was true. And it was the most beautiful truth that she'd ever heard. She was so grateful to him for saying it, as she'd desperately needed to hear it. And the only way she could think of conveying that gratitude was with her body - more than enough for him.

It was their home, now. In a way, it always had been, but now it was theirs, forever.

* * *

Distraction came in the best way, once everyone's hearts had healed enough.

It was sans who actually brought it up. He and Papyrus were staying with Frisk and Asriel for a few days, staying in the now-spare bedrooms, as both admitted that they were lonely and not used to such a big house to themselves.

They were all seated in the kitchen, enjoying golden flower tea in honour of Toriel and Asgore, when sans said, his voice very soft, "have you found a venue, yet?"

Frisk and Asriel stared at him in surprise, both blushing deeply. The truth was, they hadn't, and it had embarrassed them. All of them were still distracted by the changes in their lives - Alphys, especially, it must be noted - and none of them had even discussed it. Not even the three involved had.

"Fuck," Asriel answered.

To their surprise, sans laughed at this, in his silent, full-bodied way. Papyrus smiled at this, feeling great relief at seeing this, as sans had sunk into a deep depression and hadn't smiled in a long time. He'd been worried for his brother, scared he would follow Toriel, but seeing him laugh made him feel better.

And it made sans feel better, too. For a while, he truly had wanted to follow Toriel. He'd kept isolated, hidden in his room, ignoring everyone - even Papyrus and Grillby.

But then, he remembered what Toriel had said: to forgive her, to live for her. And he knew to betray that would be to betray her, and that was something he could never do.

So he'd gone to Papyrus and said, "bro, i need to talk about this." And immediately, Papyrus sat down with him, held his hand, and listened, until he ran out of words and was shaking so hard that even Papyrus shook. But he didn't let go, and didn't even judge him for his isolation.

He was such a good brother. To sans, Papyrus was precious, and he knew, then, that he needed to live for him, if no one else.

So he did. And he was the one who contacted Frisk.

"you're an idiot, weed," he said now, grinning when Asriel scowled. "but you, too, frisk? that's unexpected. is stupidity an sti?"

Frisk glowered at him. Asriel snarled and grabbed his cup, boiling his tea dry, which made him laugh again.

It was exactly what Toriel would have done.

"HM," Papyrus interjected, ignoring the scuffle and focusing on Frisk, instead. "MAY I SUGGEST THE SAME PLACE AS YOUR FIRST WEDDING?"

Frisk blinked, surprised. "Oh, gosh," she murmured. "That's perfect."

"Don't let Mettaton near it," Asriel groaned.

This was true, especially now. Mettaton's reaction to all of this was similar to sans's, only far more extreme: complete isolation. He wouldn't even talk to Alphys, and refused to go to either funeral.

He'd only started talking to them again when he'd heard from Nicky that she was marrying Basket and Olceal. She'd called him, desperate to hear anything from him, and this had done the trick, and brought him back.

He was currently at Alphys and Undyne's, staying there for several nights to make up for his absence - as well as to finally grieve.

It was true that he'd wanted to make a spectacle of the wedding, but Nicky was firm in her decision to make it private, and after a great deal of arguments, he'd backed down and let her and her future spouses hold the reins.

"He won't," Frisk replied, remembering this, now. "He's just happy to see Nicky happy."

"YES," Papyrus added. "I AGREE WITH HIM."

"i think we all do, bro," sans replied.

"The throneroom is a wonderful idea," Asriel murmured. "Let's call."

They did - and it was decided. In one more month, they would be married under monster rites and law, Underground, where it all began.

It made perfect sense.


	36. Chapter 36

It rained the day of the wedding.

Nickname woke up before the alarm, carefully disentangling herself from Olceal and Basket; they both stirred a little, then cuddled against each other to make up the new space between them, and it made Nicky smile, a hand to her heart.

She then walked over to the window and drew back the blinds, her ears twitching from the sound of the drops against the window. It was a grey day, the raindrops thick and heavy, but she smiled brightly.

She'd always loved the rain, always. She'd driven Asriel crazy when she was a kid, always splashing into every puddle and getting him wet, making him react like a haughty cat, which in turn always made her giggle and do it even more. Frisk was more relaxed when it came to the rain hitting her, as she, too, enjoyed it. For them both, it was never a bad thing. Rather, it was a sign of life, of renewal, new things growing into beautiful creations.

The feel of the rain upon her face always made her feel so refreshed and rejuvenated. It did get her fur wet, which in turn made her smell like a wet puppy, but she didn't mind it. She especially enjoyed coming home from a big downpour and wrapping herself into a burrito of blankets, listening to the steady thrum of the drops beating down above her like tiny heartbeats.

To have rain on the day she was to be married was a great omen for her, and she grinned at the sight, her eyes welling up with tears - her own personal rain. She leant against the windowsill, her tail wagging a little, forgetting she was naked and still a little tired.

After a moment, she heard someone get up from the bed behind her, and before she could turn around, Olceal had joined her and put his arms around her shoulders. She was taller than him as well as Basket, so he had to reach up a little, but she still leaned closer, and they shared a sigh.

Olceal gazed at the rain, looking pensive. Nicky watched him for a moment, then whispered, "Olly?"

He looked at her, his dark eyes sombre. "Rain," he whispered back. "Does it bother you?"

"Never," she admitted, reaching down and slipping her arm around his narrow waist. He was far slimmer than both she and Basket, but he had a bit of chubbiness to him, something Nicky liked. She felt his long tail touch her short one gently, and she smiled wider, blushing a little.

"It used to scare me," he admitted, still whispering. They both had excellent hearing, and didn't need to talk too loud to hear each other. "On the day my dad died, it was raining. My mom also started crying, something she wouldn't be able to stop for months."

Nicky nodded, quiet. She hadn't known this, and wanted to learn more.

His eyes flicked over the dozens of drops that slid down the window. "I hated it for so long. Every single time, I hated it. I associated it with death, with Mom's depression, with Dad's death."

He paused, swallowing hard, and she squeezed him around the waist gently, nodding.

"Today, I think," he continued, his eyes wavering a little, before they, too, filled. "Today... changes everything. Now, with this, I can finally associate the rain with something joyful. I can finally balance that agony out." He glanced at her, his tears falling free, and she touched his cheek with her other hand, brushing them away. "Because of you, Nickname."

Nicky bit her lip hard, as she'd been about to utter a sob, and didn't want to wake Basket. Instead, she turned to him and hugged him tight, and he hugged back, burying his face into her shoulder. She could feel his tears against her downy skin, and she closed her eyes, kissing the top of his head gently, between his round ears.

"I love you, Nickname," he whispered, his fingers digging into her back. "I love you for how happy you make Bass, and I love you for how happy you make me."

"Olly..." she whispered, truly touched. She hadn't known the depth of his feelings for her until that moment, and she realised she'd underestimated him a great deal. She'd assumed he'd only loved her for loving Basket. And while it had started that way, over the past few months, he'd fallen in love with her for real. And, she realised, she'd done the same with him.

For a long time, they stood there, holding each other and leaning against the windowpane, the soothing percussion of the rain washing over them like the sweetest of melodies.

Then, behind them, they heard, "Hey."

They both turned around, and saw Basket sitting up in bed, cross-legged and smiling, her tail wagging so fast it was like a blur. She beamed at them, her hands on her knees.

Nicky glanced at Olceal, who was already looking at her. They both grinned, then broke apart - and lunged for the bed, tackling Basket to it and making her explode into delighted giggles, in turn making them laugh along with her.

It was a good omen, indeed.

* * *

The wedding was very small, consisting only of their closest friends and family. They'd invited the Redden-Thickes, as well as Grillby, Catty, and Bratty. They all fit easily in the throneroom, and while Mettaton had agreed not to publicise the wedding, he was filming it, his hand over his chest the entire time.

Frisk and Asriel took the places of Asgore and Toriel, as they were technical now the King and Queen of the Underground. Because it was a triad wedding, it differed slightly from a duet, but not by much.

Asriel used his sabre, while Frisk, in a moment of great irony, use a stick. It truly was her weapon of choice, and while it was funny, it was also incredibly honest to who she was: a true pacifist. To make that even more apparent, both wore their wedding clothes, and not armour, like tradition would dictate.

The three knelt before them. Olceal and Basket wore their wedding clothes from their wedding, while Nickname wore traditional royal robes as hers. Both Frisk and Asriel were trying very hard not to cry (Asriel failed five minutes in), and they both beamed at the three. They linked arms as Asriel and Frisk crossed their weapons before them.

Frisk said, her voice wavering, "You come to us with the desire to be mated for life. Is this truth?"

"Yes," all three said as one, their voices strong.

Asriel said, "You come to us with the desire to be linked in both body and soul for life." He swallowed hard, his tears quietly slipping down his cheeks. "Is this truth?"

"Yes," they repeated, their voices stronger.

As one, Frisk and Asriel brought down their sabre and stick, and to their delight, none of the three flinched. Together, Basket and Olceal took hold of the sabre's handle, while Nicky took hold of the stick.

"Do you take these weapons as promise to protect your mates to death?" Frisk asked them.

"We do," they replied. (It was here that Basket sniffled softly, her eyes full.)

"Do you take these weapons as promise to defend your shared love to death?" Asriel asked them, his voice soft.

"We do," they repeated.

"Then do so, and rise as mates for life," Asriel concluded - before choking up and starting to cry.

All three stood up, taking their weapons with them, and behind them, their family and friends erupted with joy.

* * *

They didn't do the Puzzle Dance this time, as Nicky was as much of a pacifist as her mother, and the wedding itself was informal, anyway. But they did have a first dance.

This time, though, it wasn't Undyne who sang - but Tally. And the song she chose shocked all three of them with its importance. As they waited for Undyne -  who sat at the piano to ask company Tally - to begin, they moved so that Nicky was held between Olceal and Basket, but when Undyne and Tally began, they froze for quite some time, watching her and sharing tears.

_"You shout it out,_  
_But I can't hear a word you say._  
_I'm talking loud, not saying much._  
_I'm criticised, but all your bullets ricochet;_  
_You shoot me down, but I get up._

_I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose;_  
_Fire away, fire away._  
_Ricochet, you take your aim;_  
_Fire away, fire away._

_You shoot me down, but I won't fall._  
_I am titanium!_  
_You shoot me, down but I won't fall._  
_I am titanium!"_

Tally's voice was high and sweet, very similar to the original artist who sang it. She sang it only to Undyne's piano accompanying her, and it was the most beautiful thing any of them had ever heard.

_"Cut me down;_  
_But it's you who'll have further to fall._  
_Ghost town, and haunted love._  
_Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones;_  
_I'm talking loud; not saying much._

_I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose;_  
_Fire away, fire away._  
_Ricochet, you take your aim;_  
_Fire away, fire away._

_You shoot me down, but I won't fall._  
_I am titanium!_  
_You shoot me, down but I won't fall._  
_I am titanium!_  
_I am titanium!_  
_I am titanium!_

_Stone-heart, machine gun;_  
_Firing at the ones who run._  
_Stone heart loves bulletproof glass!_

_You shoot me down, but I won't fall._  
_I am titanium!_  
_You shoot me, down but I won't fall!_  
_I am titanium!_  
_I am titanium--!!"_

Her voice hung on that last note, so clear and striking, that everyone practically shivered.

Olceal was sobbing, openly sobbing, so hard that his wives had to hold him up on his feet, even as they cried, too. When the last of the piano's notes faded, Olceal staggered forward and hugged his mother so hard that he lifted her off of her feet, crying like the little boy he used to be. Tally held him tight, her eyes closed, crying hard, herself, and they didn't let go for a long, long time - especially when Nicky and Basket joined them.

It became their song, their true song, for the three of them. They didn't know it, yet, but those words would return to them in months to come, and it would be those words, sung in Tally's voice, that would keep them strong - and help them survive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Titanium" is copyrighted to Sia and David Guetta, and while it's used without permission, it's used with deep, grateful love.


	37. Epilogue

It was dark. At first. 

But as Asgore walked, it began to slowly light up. He walked in silence, feeling his aches and pains drop from him like shredded clothes, and he happily let them go. The longer he walked, the more he could see: a bright sky, a warm sun, and an endless field, stretching out before him and covered in golden flowers.

Standing there, holding a bouquet of them, was Chara. She was smiling, her red-brown eyes bright and glowing, and she wore the clothes she'd died in, though she looked anything but dead.

Unable to speak, Asgore raced forward, dropping to his knees and hugging his first human daughter to him. She giggled, the flowers instantly crushed between them, but neither cared. 

"Hey, Mr Dad Guy," she said, her voice so familiar that it hurt. 

"Chara," he rasped out, kissing her cheeks, her forehead, then her nose, before holding her to him again. "Chara, I can't believe it..."

"Dummy," she replied, giggling again. "Why wouldn't I wait for the best dad in the world?"

He broke down, then, sobbing so hard that he trembled. Chara dropped the bouquet and hugged back tight, and suddenly, he heard her sniffle - something he remembered that Chara did not do lightly.

"Ah, my girl, don't weep," he whispered, stroking her cap of soft, reddish-brown hair gently, like he always had. "I'm here. I'm right here."

"As am I."

Both jumped, then turned, stumbling towards the sound of that voice.

Toriel walked towards them, beaming. When she knelt down with them, they hugged her, Chara climbing into her lap and Asgore hugging them both to him, sobbing so hard, now, that he had no words, left.

"Do you really think I would let you be alone for long, whelp?" she asked him gently, kissing him, even as she cried, too - despite her smile. "I don't trust you enough to leave you to muck about, even in death."

"Mom," Chara whispered, and Toriel kissed her, just like Asgore had.

Then, she raised her head, just as Asgore raised his, and they kissed, Toriel holding a hand to his cheek, Asgore holding his own to the back of her head.

"Bleck," Chara muttered. "I'd hoped you'd be less gross."

They broke apart with a burst of laughter and hugged her between them, making her squirm and giggle. 

"Chara, love, do you know where this place goes?" Toriel asked her, as Asgore was too choked up to speak. 

"Nope," she replied. "It's kinda hard to explain, but... I haven't been here as long as you guys think."

"Oh?" Toriel said. "Do explain."

"It'll take a while, Mom."

Toriel smiled, glancing at Asgore, who was also smiling through his tears.

"My lovely girl," she said. "We have all the time in the world."

Chara nodded. "Okay. Did Asriel tell you what happened to him?"

Asgore blinked, then exchanged a surprise look with Toriel. "It seems we have much to tell you, as well," he admitted. 

"Pick me up, Dad, and let's talk while we walk."

He did, hoisting her up onto his shoulders, before taking Toriel's hand into his. They smiled.

Together, they walked forward, not sure where they were going - but knowing that they would go together.

Forever, now. 

Always.

\--THE END--


End file.
